Capturing Emotion

Close Up! Eyes & mouth have it!

Time to Show Some Portraits 

As I look back through my posts these last few months they seem landscape heavy which is odd because I paint portraits twice a week!

Full view, not as successful.

Here are a few recent portraits which I have completed and which for the most part I believe successful. What I am finding lately is that I like some features of portraits but not entire portraits which is a bit frustrating. Each portrait is done in about 2.5 hours.

Full View

I received many compliments on this portrait on the left, particularly about the emotion in the eyes. I do think the eyes and mouth are successful; however, I feel there is too much same color on the face somehow, it looks a bit dull to me. Also, I am not in love with the jawline...hmmmm

The next portrait I was fairly happy with- this is a new model for us, I loved her white hair! Usually with drawing and painting new models, it takes time to figure out features. This time, I was on a limited schedule and worked quickly. I chose purple shadows for the white hair and while that might not make sense, I find it intriguing and think that it works.  And, I love the serious no nonsense Italian Grandmother look on her face! Don't you think that her thoughts were something along the lines of, "I disapprove, now get to work!"? Actually, I think most aspects of this painting from the hair to the robe are rendered successfully. Often I render lyrical sweet paintings; this particular painting is nice because of the serious line in her mouth.

That earring!

Love the Hair!

My issue here is with that darn earring. It was a sparkly yellow green chandelier which I found very appealing, but I am unhappy with the way it turned out. For the earring there was a light bright side and a dark side and lots of shine, but here, I think perhaps it is too defined. I wish it had been done with less strokes -more quickly! Ah - improvements/lesson learned for next time.

I find that the close ups on this page are more attractive to me than the whole portraits, that is something I will really have to think about...