In the matter of color: the Hon. James T. Giles

[Paul Walsh]

Garth,
Outstanding Job! Congratulation. You arrived. Thanks for showing. It must be amazing to see in person.


Paul

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Mike Dodson

Garth,

I haven't posted in quite sometime but have been "peeking" in occasionally to see what everyone is up to. This portrait has had an affect on me like none other I have seen in quite sometime. It is simply "stunning". Your hard work on this painting has truly resulted in a masterpiece! Continued success.

Dear Mike,

Thanks sincerely for your peeking and kind words. I am moved by how you are affected as well, and wish you the best too in your success. Come back often!

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Carolyn Robles

Garth,

You are truly incredible! I really think you're one of the best right now. Your work blows me away every time. I can't wait for the day to stand in a big museum with your paintings staring back at me. But for now, thank you for posting the close ups, I know I won't be the only one learning from them.

Dear Carolyn,

Thanks! Believe me, I'm learning too from you and every one else here on this Forum!

Best,

Garth

[Mark Lovett]

Garth,
Whether one is a huge fan of photo realism or not, the degree of skill and dedication required to paint such a finish is enormous and unobtainable by most, so hats off to you! This is quite an accomplishment, and a beautiful piece of work. I would love to come visit you in your studio and see the mad scientist at work next time I'm in the Philly area.

On another post I saw how you coordinated your grey scale with Photoshop and I wonder if you could tell me how this is done or perhaps refer me to a thread where this is already discussed. At this point, I dont even know how to get Photoshop to identify the values of an image.
Thanks much,
Mark

[Alexandra Tyng]

Hey Garth, what a nice way to wake up in the morning! Were the two congressmen connected somehow, or were they entirely separate but synchronistic events? Either way, you are in, friend!

[Garth Herrick]

Hi Alex,

There was one phone call with two congressmen. The Pennsylvania congressman called on his cell phone, while the Florida congressman was across tha aisle on a charter tour bus, all full of congress members on a morning's excusion to an undisclosed destination. They were both very friendly. Well I should admit that the Florida congressman actually recalled for me that we in fact attended grade school together. The world gets smaller! The Pennsylvania congressman was the one who gave him the business card. Mystery partially solved.

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Mark Lovett

Garth,
Whether one is a huge fan of photo realism or not, the degree of skill and dedication required to paint such a finish is enormous and unobtainable by most, so hats off to you! This is quite an accomplishment, and a beautiful piece of work. I would love to come visit you in your studio and see the mad scientist at work next time I'm in the Philly area.

On another post I saw how you coordinated your grey scale with Photoshop and I wonder if you could tell me how this is done or perhaps refer me to a thread where this is already discussed. At this point, I dont even know how to get Photoshop to identify the values of an image.
Thanks much,
Mark

Hi Mark,

Well for starters, I generated a 101-level grayscale in Photoshop (a time-consuming task) that I carefully calibrated for my printer.

As for identifying digital value levels in Photoshop, the tab next to the Navigator menu is the Information menu. The menu will automatically display the value readout of wherever the cursor is on the image. I find it helpful to convert to L.a.b. scale instead of RGB (for 101 levels). Don't get too excited about this technology though; it is better to sort through all these value relationships with your own eyes when painting. Painting by numbers is a sure way to make your painting degrade into a bad copy of a photograph. On the other hand, it is useful for studying and comparing value relationships in the photo reference. Just don't copy this blindly onto the canvas. Interpretation is needed.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

Garth

[Mark Lovett]

Oh I see what you mean. The world definately does not need another copy of a photograph. Thanks much!

[David Draime]

In the matter of extraordinary talent: The Hon. Garth Herrick.

Garth....Garth....

Garth...I'm speechless. This is an amazing portrait. I think you've outdone yourself....as if any of us thought that was possible. I think what Alexandra has said is exactly what I would say - so I won't repeat it. I certainly would have been inclined to shy away from the intensity (brightness, chroma) of the background color and certainly the red in the flag, if I were painting this (my wimpy side) - I would worry that it would overpower the face as a center of interest. Yet, as Alexandra has pointed out, it is all so carefully orchestrated and considered, that the opposite is true. The exquisite subtlety - of color and modeling - and values - that describe the face (there aren't any hot, bright highlights in the face - not any of the higher contrast that we see, for instance, in the flag) is the very thing that draws our attention like a magnet. Amazing. I wouldn't have thought it possible. If the flag were even a tad brighter or more intense - I think that the balance would be lost and it wouldn't work. That you have managed to make the most quiet, most subtle area of the painting the most attention-grabbing, captivating part.... what an accomplishment. This is a work we should all be studying for a long time.

Dangit!! He raised the bar again!

[Garth Herrick]

Thanks Jane and David, now you have me feeling speechless!

Here's the essential colors that were used on my palette; of course some were more necessary than others, but I think I needed them all. The surprising thing is when colors like Burnt Umber, and Caput Mortuum appear way too light in value, out of the tube, and have to be fortified and darkened! That happened a lot in this painting.

Corresponding with the photo, first row:
1. W&N Cadmium Orange (very old)
2. Vasari Cadmium-Vermilion Red Light
3. Mussini Kadmiumrotton (no cadmium but a great replacement for cadmium red deep, and it's more versatile)
4. Old Holland Vleesoker (fortified flesh ochre)
5. Vasari Terra Rosa
6. Vasari Caput Mortuum
7. Vasari Burnt Sienna
8. Vasari Capuchine Red Deep (essential!)
9. Vasari Alizarin Crimson
10. Gamblin Dioxinine Purple (to darken the Capuchine Red Deep)
11. Vasari Ultramarine Blue ( for further darkening the above combination to black)
12. Vasari Vandyke Brown (this is really dark)
Next row:
13. Vasari Genuine Naples Yellow Light (the brightest highlight in the flag tassle at the top)
14. Vasari Tuscan Yellow (Chrome Titanate PBr-24)
15. W&N Indian Yellow
16. Vasari Naples Orange (Chrome Titanate PBr-24)
17. Vasari Capuchine Red Light
18. Vasari Brown Ochre Light
19. Vasari Burnt Umber
20. Norma Raw Umber Greenish
21.W&N Sap Green
22. Blockx Cadmium Green Pale
23. Vasari Ivory Black
Bottom row:
24. Vasari Flake White
25. Vasari King's Blue Light
26. Gamblin Indanthrone Blue
27. Vasari Cerulean Blue
28. Blockx Turquoise Green.

Hope this helps!

Garth