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Subject: Portrait of Elisabeth

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dianecaudle
Posts:9

04/17/2008 9:59 AM	Alert
This is a pastel I've been working on of Elisabeth. She's two and a half and we caught her in this pose while she was in the changing room and I took a picture of her. I need to know what needs to be fixed about it. Her face looks good, it looks just like her and the pose is right. I'm not too sure about the hand/arm. I tried to tone down the yellow in the dress but it's difficult to do that without making the yellow look dingy. Any suggestions on background, etc? it is still a work in progress Thanks

Crazywoman53
Posts:36

04/17/2008 12:23 PM	Alert
Oh this is precious!!!!! If anything I think the yellow dress needs to be just a bit stronger. Right now it is almost the same value as the face and it doesn't set her face off as much as it deserves. I think it is a beautiful painting! Christine

dianecaudle
Posts:9

04/18/2008 10:52 PM	Alert
Hi Christine: Thanks for your nice words about my painting. Sometimes an artist gets so involved in working on something that it's nice to hear from someone else who hasn't seen the painting on a day to day basis. I have worked some more on the dress and I think you were right about the face and dress being close values. I've added a little bit more red in her cheeks to give her more color also. Since out of the 22 people who viewed this posting you were the only one nice enough to give a critique then I must assume that everyone who didn't post a comment must think that this painting is fine just as it is Thanks again for your suggestion, Diane

klippie

Posts:1880

04/19/2008 2:56 PM	Alert
That is a prescious portrait worth correcting so as the previous poster said. I turned it to black and white and the the second one I darkened it and you can see the dif on the darkened one. hope you don't mind. the face tones seem to be too little in dif to round the face too. Stunning work just need some darks. Retha

If at first you dont succeed.........don't ever give up!

Jim

Posts:2265

04/19/2008 7:19 PM	Alert
Very nice work. Two portraits in one. Difficult and well done. Jim www.paintingsbyjim.com

All the best, Jim www.paintingsbyjim.com

Crazywoman53
Posts:36

04/21/2008 12:55 PM	Alert
Diane, I assumed the purpose of this site was not only encourage each other but also to help us produce better paintings. I don't know about anyone else but when I am working on a painting and ask for opinions I am seriously wanting people to tell me what they really think. I can send my paintings out to friends and family and have them all tell me it is wonderful and I haven't gained any input at all that is beneficial to improving my work. So when I see something that stands out to me in someone elses work I will point it out not to be ugly or mean but to help that person see their work with fresh eyes and mind thought. I am by no means an expert and it is my opinion only for the artist to consider, use, ignore or whatever as I would do the same. I am glad that Retha was able to produce the black and white images for you. I know that I look at lots of paintings and don't always take the time to comment and I am sure many others are the same way. Sometimes I can tell that a painting needs help but don't really have the knowledge to help them and I keep quiet then too. As we all know different people see different things... just enter two or art shows with the same painting and in one it will win a ribbon and the next it doesn't. So guess I glean what I can here and there, tongue in cheek, smile and keep painting.. hopefully better. So enjoy this lovely painting!!!!

AliciaS

Posts:24

04/21/2008 6:39 PM	Alert
This is a beautifully rendered piece..proportions are spot on! Values are important and it could be the photo. I agree with Klippie in that you need to bump up the contrast..My other thought is that when I first looked at the painting I thought it was 2 chldren.. you may want to soften the mirror reflection, and keep the values strong on the little girl only..this way the viewer can go right to her and see the other child as the reflection and a supporting image in the piece.. great job on this!!!

dianecaudle
Posts:9

04/21/2008 10:34 PM	Alert
I darkened the area around her cheek and I think it definitely helped, so thanks Christine and the others that thought this would help. I definitely came here for criticism and I would only do so if I thought I was getting some help from people who are experienced artists. I'm going to add the photo of the painting so far, I'll look into fixing her image in the mirror. Thanks for your nice words, Jim. Retha, the black and white versions of the painting really showed me where it was lacking in value, I'd forgotten all about that little trick, nice one! Thanks again

dianecaudle
Posts:9

04/21/2008 10:36 PM	Alert
Oops I forgot to add the painting, this is it so far.

NinaGrace

Posts:2

04/22/2008 3:55 PM	Alert
What a beautiful portrait. Very nicely done and the improvements you made based on the others' suggestions made a lovely painting even stronger. I agree with Christine that my family and friends can tell me all day long something is wonderful but that isn't helpful (even if it makes me feel good) if want I really want/need is critique. So having said that, the one thing that stands out to me as being a bit awkward is where the left arm (the one holding the hairbrush) and the dress meet. The arm looks a bit disconnected to me, but even lightly shading under her arm near that edge of the armhole should help to make it look more like her arm is coming out of the dress instead of resting on top of it.

Bruce Johnson

Posts:124

04/29/2008 3:00 AM	Alert
Beautiful portrait.. I love the shine in the hair... outstanding..

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