Christine's coming along

[Patricia Joyce]

I'm so thrilled. I just received an e-mail from Christine's mother. I sent her the image yesterday and this is what she wrote back:

"Wow! I repeat: Wow!!! You captured her likeness and her personality too!!! I can tell her mood and read her eyes just looking at the picture. How cool. John commented about how truly talented you are as he looked at the picture."

This is such a great shot in the arm, really boosts my confidence!! Thought my friends here would enjoy it.

Have a great day!

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Patricia Joyce

A couple of things I did purposefully. I elongated the neck because the photo did not do her decoulatage justice and I wanted it to appear as graceful as she appears in life.

No problem with that at all. My "lists of things to look at" are merely that, and if something is in fact exactly as the artist intended, then as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be.

[Mike Dodson]

This is turning out to be your best yet. It seems in this drawing that you are working with so much confidence. My initial thoughts were the same as Michele's in that it is very "Ryder" like. It also has a bit of a Vermeer feel to it.

Look forward to seeing the finished piece.

[Kimberly Dow]

Pat this is great!

[Patricia Joyce]

Steven,
I feel encouraged . . .

Thank you for the compliments Mike and Kim, you really flatter me, now I am praying I can finish her with as much deliberateness. I have been practicing hair and reading da Vinci's Book to Artists (title?) and other drawing books about him. I wish to approach the hair with a strong and positive attitude. Jimmie Arroyo makes it looks and sound so easy! Hopefully, I'll get there, too!

Will post finished product next week. All of the support and encouragement here helps me more than I can describe. This Forum is my best classroom!

[Michele Rushworth]

...reading daVinci's Book to Artists (title?)

Can you tell me more about this book? Sounds interesting.

[Patricia Joyce]

Well, she's almost done. I thought I would post again for your advice. I usually see more when it is up here, and your critiques help me too. I can see that the shape of her forehead is still not right. I need to darken the top (our) right crown of her hair. I had darkened the hair on our right but I did not like it. Her face is so soft (and I think it needs to stay that way for fear of me ruining what she and her mom and my son already like) that when I darkened the hair it kind of overwhelmed her face.

I chickened out doing the hand, every attempt on sketch paper and on this piece didn't read well. Maybe because not much of the hand is showing in the portriat and I am not the greatest with "suggesting" the hand.

Anyone have any ideas for matting and framing this piece? It is Stonehenge, a grayish blue color.

Thank you for your help.

Michelle, I will get the name of the book when I go home today. It is a great, great book to read. It is Leonardo's letters and lectures to his students. I just love reading it. I know you would like it...

[Michele Rushworth]

Lovely!

The only changes I would make would be to darken the eyes somewhat, and the mouth just a little. Right now the highest area of contrast is the top part of the hair and you might want to bring attention back to the features a bit.

You have made a family treasure.

[Patricia Joyce]

Thank you Michele for the flattering comment! I did make the adjustments you suggested and it looks great. Will post an image when I get the chance.

I did find the book I had mentioned earlier. It is small, but I have reread many many times.
[url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0894718347/astrokeofgeniusA/]Leonardo Da Vinci

[Michele Rushworth]

Thanks, Pat, I'll see if I can find it.