Studies done in response to the year end Portrait Exchange at Different Strokes from Different Folks.
Initially, I found the photo I was sent to be difficult to grab on to. The lighting is direct and washes out a lot of the facial features and the back ground suggests a leafy, park like setting but other elements appeared to have been clipped out in Photoshop. I did a few sketches and then some manipulation of the photo in photoshop to help me find some more shadows and contrast.
My first painting:
A value study vignette using only Gamblin Torrit Grey and Brilliant White on a neutral grey gessoed ground.
8x8 canvas panel
Next I took what I learned in the grey and white study and let my curiosity about the background take control. Where was this gal? At an outdoor festival or concert, her photo caught just as she spotted friends set up on a blanket with a picnic spread? Maybe at a horse show watching one of her students in the ring? Could have been anywhere, but the rich greens made me think tropical so, on a cold and snowy day, I decided she and I would relocate to the tropics, maybe Tahiti, for the next painting. This was fun, using color to define the facial forms rather than just value. The background is a pure fantasy built from a number of tropical jungle references and a nod to Rousseau and Gaugin.
Excellent potrait.The grey and white speak for all the colours.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Rishi!
ReplyDeleteThat's an astounding compliment and a directive for doing more monochromatic work. Thank you very much.
Absolutely love your monochromatic portrait, great composition, as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela.
ReplyDeleteI note that you and I both pushed our subjects to the edge to get a greater impact out of their facial expressions!
Very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative on how you developed the color version.
ReplyDeleteKaylyn, outstanding drawing/painting skills. You captured her perfectly.
ReplyDeleteBoth of these are very good but I really like the monochromatic version. You nailed the likeness!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your blog and I've enjoyed taking a look around. Beautiful work! Thank you so much for including your process in so many of your posts. That is such a helpful tool!
Wow, The piece you submitted to DSFDF is fabulous but the one with the foliage is so wonderful. I love your post of the process too. All great work.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I like both versions very much.
ReplyDeleteVery original portrait, and great composition.
ReplyDeleteKaylyn, thanks for doing such a nice job from the photo I submitted to Karin Jurick. I am the one who painted the portrait of you. I was wondering if you would like to exchange paintings? Let me know.
ReplyDeleteThe monochrome version is the best. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for stopping in and leaving comments! I have to agree that the Monochromatic portrait is better. A lesson learned: the lighting and colors in the 'Tahiti' painting was imagined and I hadn't any good references...as such it is weaker. Drawing/painting what you see is important when doing representational work.
ReplyDeleteWonderful value study...it FEELS like color.
ReplyDelete