Any combination of yellow, red and blue produces a lovely color harmony. There are artist who paint exclusively using this color combination. I don’t often use it but I like it. In this painting, I find the right shoulder offers too much contrast. Notice how your eye is drawn there. I must change that, but otherwise I will leave this painting as is.
Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Winifred
It’s pretty photo realistic, I’m aware.. I didn’t intend this and I don’t prefer this as a painting style, as you are well aware by now. I’m a bit surprised it developed in this manner especially when I uses no aids or processes to go from photo to painting. There was no grid, projection or tracing. I looked at the photo, created a soft sketch and then painted. Sometimes it just happens. I think it’s the hair that plays the greatest role in the photographic look. I told you about the dozen brushes or so I modified. I didn’t have to create individual strokes to get the look of freshly combed hair. it’s the brushes I’ll blame. I have another great little brush which allows me to create the individual wispy hairs. It was actually fun – the whole thing.
The photo was taken in my garden when I owned my farm more than 10 years ago. I held a workshop, focused on both photographic shooting techniques and Photoshop editing techniques. It was well attended. This young lady was one of the 2 models hired. I’ve wanted to paint this for quite a while. It’s not often that one captures dramatic backlighting and adequate highlights and shadows in the face. Her shoulders were actually bare. I added a few painterly strokes to create a little shoulder drape just to add some looseness to the painting.Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.
For sure, next week I will post a portrait painting that looks like a painting. Be well. Winifred
I liked her expression and the tilt of her head and I decided to focus solely on that aspect of the reference photo. As usual, it took three full rounds of painting her face and features to get to this point. Another round of painting might be merited but “over painting” most often takes the “life” from a painting. Imperfections can be a good thing. I liked the unfinished look of the hair and in addition added a couple touches of red – just because. I always worry about the color of the images in my my post because the color is never the same as the paintings. I struggle to get it as close as I can. Sometimes it’s close, other times not. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Have a good weekend. Winifred
I’m posting this painting to view but I’m well aware this painting didn’t work very well. The energy and expression are flat and the composition is not particularly interesting. The value of this painting is practice, and the likeness is quite good. Many many hours go into practice but no doubt, some paintings are more successful than others. I do love the paint texture itself. The reason I’m getting such interesting paint texture is that I’ve modified a bunch of brushes. I’ve created a dozen brushes or so with jagged edges and missing hairs which gives me all the paint texture. As you see, it looks like paint! I do like that.
There is also an interesting back story to this image. More than 10 years ago there was a major mudslide in the town of OSO, Washington. About 47 homes slid down the hill as a result of clear cutting and days of rain. Sadly, many lives were lost. There was a fund raiser held for the affected community with the fire department task with the distribution of the funds raised. I attended. This man was part of the entertainment for the event. What I loved about the image is the dramatic light.
So far, our weather continues to be very wonderful – at least, it’s my preference. We have. cool nights, 60 and below and I don’t think we hit 80 this past week. Enjoy your weekend. Winifred
I think it’s interesting to see the difference in the surfaces of these two paintings. The Shopkeeper’s painting has a softly pebbled and a semi absorbent surface creating significant soft surface texture.
The Shopkeeper’s Wife was painted in sunlight on a smooth and non absorbent surface which allows the paint greater movement. You can see they look entirely different. I made the panel as well as the product I applied to the surface. To create this surface product is quite a bit more time consuming than using conventional products but I’ve decided it’s worth it.
Children are beautiful when they sleep. This has been a portrait on my list to paint for a very long time. Basically sepia tone, that’s what spoke to me. for this one, in it’s quiet darkened environment. I also love the golden glow of the light and only a hint of the “teddy” was necessary. Hope you enjoy and hope you’re not sweltering. Winifred
I can’t remember when or if I ever painted clouds before. The original background was a picnic scene – very cluttered but I loved her dress and her back in the photo. I decided to put her high atop a grassy hill. I looked at a YouTube video on painting clouds and decided I’d give it a try, though in a simplified fashion. Then I watched a video on painting grass. I think the colors overall are pretty and it was fun trying something very different.
Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for looking. Winifred Whitfield
This may be the most complex portrait I’ve painted and for me it’s relative large at 16×20. I took my time and enjoyed the many challenges. I’ve had the photo reference for more than a year but decided at that time it was more challenge than I wanted. I was now ready. No doubt, as always, I will make changes for some time to come.
I’m beginning to envision a portrait with 2 people. It will be my first. I will create that photo reference soon. I hope you enjoy today’s post. Winifred
Many young women came to me in the past wanting a special photograph for the special man in her life. I remember this young woman. She was not the “posing machine” as was a previous young women I mentioned, but she was lovely. The hat added a little interest for a few of the shots and selected it as my reference photo. During the original photo shoot. I used drapes of sheer gold and white for the background, but that wasn’t consistent with my vision for this painting. In fact, I had a really difficult time determining what the background for this painting would be. The painting itself was very complex and time consuming. I wanted the background to be easy. I had something in mind but it didn’t work, my colors were just too warm. Only when I layered cooler blue/gray/violet tones was I pleased and she stood out all the more. The few wisp of the lightest paint color reminded me of wings. They had not been painted as such – just an accidental gift, but became he basis of the name for the painting. Now that it’s two days after I finished the painting, I see something that needs to be corrected. It’s. always like that, and I will do so. Hope you enjoy. Thank you for viewing. Winifred
This painting combines my love of portraits, love of floral, and makes up for all the color I haven’t painted in a long time. Well, I did paint with red last time, but my recent portraits have been pretty muted.
She was reluctant to be photographed on this day and on this occasion. It wasn’t a planned shoot, she just happened to be outside and I ask her to stand amidst my very large tulips. I really love it when little children do things with their little fingers – though I hadn’t noticed at all. she had tugged at her shirt. If I had, I probably would have said ” stand still and don’t tug at your shirt. We can be our worse enemy. I remembered this photo reference because it was outside and had all the color – thought it might be fun. I had mixed feelings about the panther, although since it forms an X with her hands in the center it contributes to the focal point. So I have two focal points – her adorable face being the other, with tulips framing her. How lucky I am. There is more going on in this painting than I ever would have planned but I think it hangs together pretty well. It’s also her cool tones surrounded by the very warm tones of the flowers that allow her to remain forward – stand out, and not get lost amongst the flowers but also has strokes of the warm reds on her shirt to keep her fully integrated into the background. So I think I’ve convinced myself it’s OK.
I was conscious of staring at my painting and not blinking this week. PAIN reminds me if I start down that path. I get so obsessed when I begin a new painting that I can do nothing else. Well, I start after breakfast at noon, and I do break for dinner. Otherwise I paint. My new IPhone came yesterday – upgrading from X and I have yet to update it for use. I will tonight. Have a great weekend. I wonder what I will paint next. I do love painting. Thank you for viewing. Winifred