Brielle

[John Bruso]

My name is Mara. Thanks for taking the time out to review my painting.

Although I am a recent convert to painting exclusively from life, I wanted to paint my 6 month old daughter - which is quite a hilarious notion to attempt from life!

I used a photograph I took in the morning, and forced myself to finish the painting that same day. I worked wet on wet and tried to fake the "from life" qualities absent in a photograph. I think the faking part of the experience has left me feeling bummed about the painting. I have signed it, but I don't yet feel it is finished. I welcome any comment that might help me truly complete this piece.

This painting is 24" x 20."

-Mara

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Mara, it is indeed a brave attempt and you managed to capture a certain light very well.
I know about the frustration of painting from a photo too so I feel very sympathetic.

I will say something with my usual harsh manner, but I think that ,since it took you one day to paint this (who are you, Speedy Gonzales ?), you won't take it badly.
I think you approached this lovely subject with a photographic eye: you chose a pic where the baby was in focus and rather still and you centered your own focus on her, and made the rest of the painting blurry. Our vision of this painting is like a cone, with the tip on the head, everything else is unstructured and there are no strong vertical or horizontal lines.
I think that a more interesting approach could have been exactly the opposite: the chair, the throw, especially the corner which is closer to us, are still objects, and we know it. The baby instead is moving, she is the one that could be blurry, undefined.
If you are into life painting maybe you could have another go at this work and keep the setting in front of you while you work from the photo ( but don't leave the baby, she'd fall!), and concentrate on the feel of her weight and roundness (which you have already quite captured) but not getting too specific about features, trying to leave them soft.
Look at Mary Cassatt, the master of baby paintings, her pictures are both pretty and strong. Sorolla's works on the beach might also help.

I am not sure if this is the kind of critique you wanted to hear as it involves reworking the whole surface but this is what I honestly think

Ilaria

[Dianne Gardner]

I think you did a lovely job on the baby. Your work from life has definitely trained your eye and you've achieved a spontaneity that works. I agree somewhat about the chair and blanket, that you could use some hard edges are well as soft edges to define them just a touch. My first feeling about this painting though is that there is a slight lack of color harmony. Not that your greens and pinks and blues shouldn't be so, but that perhaps you could use a base color to harmonize them. Just a thought.

Dianne

[Lisa Gloria]

I love the brushy qualities of this painting, and the way you depicted the light across the skin and hair. It appears as though the drawing may be off somewhat around the ears, placement of the eyes and mouth. And the very dark values and sharp edges at the eyes are a little startling.

Doing this from life sounds fun. I only ever get a gesture drawing in before my kids wander off. Good exercize in patience!

[John Bruso]

I love these critiques!

The three of you have convinced me to go back and re-work the painting. I agree with the "cone" imagery as well as the color harmony comment. The darker values present only in the baby's eyes are startling, as well! The three of you have nailed all the things about this painting that were bothering me. Usually, my paintings have too many edges and too much detail. This time around, it was the opposite!

I plan to post an updated version as soon as possible. Please check my progress. Also, I would love to hear further critiques from anyone who has more to say

Thank you so much.