Oil Portrait

[timmyhol]

Hi,

This isn't strictly concept, but it's going to lead to some concept posts later. I haven't posted here for ages, I would like to get in to concept but originally trained and worked as an animator. I've been studying again for the last year and half in traditional painting and hope to have improved my technique. This is the latest piece I have been working on. Its a life size portrait of my girlfriend Kate, and was completed over the past five days from life. She sat (very kindly!) for three hours a day. Our flat isn't ideal and we don't get great light so I created a bit of a Heath Robinson set up with a large mirror reflecting in some extra light. I spend a good deal of the first morning mapping in the features; I've come to realize that rushing that stage is really not worth it! After that I try to paint as directly as possible, by which I mean to finish each area in a single sitting. The face was scraped back a couple of times, and ended up being completed over a couple of sittings. A slight school boy error by myself meant that the painting ended up in different light to Kate, so it was a bit of a shock when I finally put the painting in day light, the colour's were all too cold!! so the painting will be hung in our hall way where it will be under electric lights and looks as I intended when I painted it

[Cepro]

nice painting, I envy you for painting this in only 15 hours.
Only thing is that the skirt seems to lack some folds or darker values. It looks a bit like one of those thick plastic table-cloths.

[Oblio]

good one - however - yo have to keep doing it . every 5 days at least have another painting.. and you'll see the improvement in another year.
i wish you to manage and keep painting.

[FrontlinePs.10]

Hi,

I spend a good deal of the first morning mapping in the features; I've come to realize that rushing that stage is really not worth it!

Yup, that's where most mistakes are made. I don't know how many times I've rushed past that point, only to realize later that I can't fix necessary errors.

Nice job!

[Slothman86]

Too many times, I see painting with really drab and unicolor flesh tone...but here I see a magnitude of value and saturation. The selective focus on the face is what I enjoy in oils as well. I can't help but notice that right in the middle is a boobie!

[timmyhol]

Thanks for the comments guys,

Cepro - I appreciate your comments about the skirt, I think your right, I should have pushed a little harder with that. Its so easy when you have so much fun to be had with the pattern not to jump in too early. In this case I guess I gave in a little too soon. I'm always trying to remind myself that loose brushwork is nothing without a solid underlying structure so should have made that the case with the skirt.

Oblio - I agree painting doesn't improve without a hell of a lot of work. I would love to be able to produce a painting like this every week, but sadly its just not possible. Normally I paint at the Lavender Hill studios in London, we get a good number of sessions on the model, but I'm not in control of the pose, light or where I stand so this was a real luxury for me. Its a shame that I couldn't really get the light I wanted, but I was also very lucky to have someone sit like Kate did - there's always going to be compromise somewhere.

Slothman86 - I'm going to get in serious trouble now you pointed that out! It'ss weird what can end up in the centre of the canvas.

On another note, I've been looking at this photo in-comparison to the canvas, the right side of the face looks a little rough to me. Again this is to do with the light the photo was taken in and is really a lesson learnt. Under electric lamps the tonal graduation is the shadow is a lot smother and the ugly shapes around the jaw disappear. It really goes to show how important it is to view the canvas in the correct light. I'll try and take another photo and see how its looks.

Thanks again for the comments

Tim

[stalsby]

Really nice job on this painting bro!

[Bendragon]

Hey Tim! Youve improved loads since I last saw our work. I cant wait to see how you tackle more concept work in future. You planning on another visit to the AiB at some point?