You have said it so well Allan.

That is why I prefer daylight and working as much as possible from life. Artificial light is just that, artificial and unmoving.

Though I know for many people in portraiture it is difficult to totally ditch the photograph, there is nothing like working totally from life in daylight. Since I work in south east light, there are constant surprises, gleams of light and color that sometimes take my breath away.The painting, unlike working from a photograph, is in constant flux, it is thank heavens, quite different than I imagined it would be.

I can only able make mud in artificial light, which is too bad because I was rather a night-owl and had to reform.

Allan, I hope your studio and home is fixed soon so you can get back to painting. As a victim of two fires in her life, I know just how disrupting that can be.

Thanks Sharon,
my house is recovering fast now and we moved in just before the weekend, the only things remaining indoor are two rooms upstairs where I have

Hi Allan
Your way to paint is very nice indeed!!
..just a curiosity...the window shadows are painted?
Ciao

Allan,

What a stunning and original painting!

It is so intense and the compostion is fabulous.

I am going to stop blabbering so I can go back and look at it!

Wow! Gorgeous. Looks like you have the lighting well under control to me:)

Sorry but I have to disappoint you all. It was the sun, from the window, that made this rather fascinating composition. ;)

Allan

I love this painting, too, and I am so glad you are going to finish it! Sharon, if you want to see more of it, look in WIP. It is fabulous.

It's terrible how direct sunlight falling on a painting has the effect of destroying the mystery of the illusion. I am always shocked to see how mine look with the sun falling on them. I guess that's why artists prefer to paint in indirect light.

That's wonderful news about your house being almost finished!

:oops:

I went to the WIP section. I remember I liked it there. It is STILL a stunning painting. Your paint handling is enviable.

Although, sometimes serendipity takes us to new and uncharted waters.

One day years ago, my punky little model showed up with green bangs. I was in the early throes of my ersatz Degas days and I was really put out. I had envisioned a luminous beauty and wound up having to paint a contemporary little snot. I decided I LIKED the green hair, and ended up putting various colored wigs on my models. My paintings no longer look like pretentious Degas wannbees, but more like my own and are more fun to do.

I too am having a great deal of troubles painting in artificial lighting. I've tried various palette colours to accommodate lighting, the example was painted from life in front of a mirror. I have an overhead light to light my palette and another lamp to light my face. But it just seems so dark and photographing it is just as challenging. What am I doing wrong?

I do opologise Allan for posting my pic, I didnt mean to intrude on your post.