Portrait La Mia Figlia

**jergrif73** · March 22nd, 2010, 01:35 PM

This my latest piece. Acrylic on canvas board.

It's been a few months since I have produced anything. This is my latest. Any critiquing is greatly appreciated!

**DAMJAN** · March 22nd, 2010, 03:37 PM

Skin tone is very washed and doesn't have any life in it. Eye looks really flat compared to other facial features. Hair is in the bulk right now but it needs finer details of smaller strands running around.

**jergrif73** · March 22nd, 2010, 04:04 PM

Thanks DAMJAN! All great information that I can work with...

**DAMJAN** · March 23rd, 2010, 07:44 PM

no problem

**Quigleyer** · March 23rd, 2010, 08:59 PM

This might be useful.

The thing about skin tones is the amount of color you find in them (and variety). There really is no "skin tone" color (unlike some tubes of paint would have you believe...?) and it's really about the combination of color.

A long while back I was looking at a Whitaker painting demo on this website. He is painting in OILS, but the same basic premise applies when painting with anything. LAYER COLOR.

Here it is, if you haven't seen it. http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83405

I think this illustrates above and beyond any advice I could give you and will leave you with that. Good luck, have a blast, and keep working on it.

EDIT: I would also advise you to study up some on color theory. As much as you can, in fact. Look for information relating to color temperature in light versus shadows specifically, but really all color theory is important.

**jergrif73** · April 20th, 2010, 07:40 PM

Thanks a bunch for the link! I have reviewed that a couple of times (as well as 1art dot com a couple of times). Honestly, sometimes I just can't see the flaws like I need to. Thanks again!

I will review again.

**Klaw** · April 20th, 2010, 08:40 PM

I like the play of shadows and light! I like the hair too. Very nice.

**jergrif73** · April 21st, 2010, 10:25 AM

Thanks Klaw.

I did go back to the painting after taking to heart what DAMJAN pointed out (however, the face is probably too washed out still, and excuse the crappiness of the pic quality).

**DAMJAN** · April 21st, 2010, 09:56 PM

Could you please put previous and your newly updated image next to each other so we can compare your improvements? Thanks.

**jergrif73** · April 22nd, 2010, 02:06 PM

Here ya go... Upon resizing, it's hard to see much detail changing...

**Samuel Gray** · April 22nd, 2010, 09:52 PM

Try to avoid going in the same direction with your brushstrokes. They seem all the same and not enough variety.

**jergrif73** · April 24th, 2010, 01:34 PM

Thanks @Samuel Gray... Very simple and totally valid point... I will work on this!

**Socks** · April 24th, 2010, 01:53 PM

I'm assuming this is from a photo...? Guessing that maybe the reference itself may be proving to be a problem, because the photo could have been taken under really harsh light, producing the really sharp and strong shadows around the face and neck. It kind of makes the piece lose a lot of the volume it could have, and if the reference is the problem, maybe you should take the liberty of smoothing things out a bit, showing a little bit of gradiation?

Just my two cents! :]