I'm Lost!
 

I dont' know what to do with the eyes in this painting. This is still in the very early stages, little detail in nose, mouth, but I am not worried about how to continue with these areas. I am not too worried about the minor drawing adj I have to make on side of face. But I can't get the eye on our right. I have drawn sketches, about a million, but they just don't look right.

Second problem, have I taken the shadows too dark, too brown, too soon? Can I still make color adjustments over color this dark? I know it is a naive questions, but, all of a sudden I feel lost. . . . a babe lost!!

Thanks for any critique anyone can venture

Hi Pat--
Could you possibly post a close up of just the face, and maybe a close up of the reference face (If you've only got that small photo for reference, try taking it to BJ's or Walmart and enlarging it on their photo enlarging machine... you might be amazed at what detail is actually in the photo, that can be enlarged for you to see)... Short of that, it just strikes me that her lower lid is too straight across... There would be some curve and/or slant there I think?

As far as going too dark, too fast-- I'm not the best person to ask... but would just suggest that you keep in mind that light over dark paint will seem cooler and dark over lighter will seem warmer. (Garth H. has a blurb somewhere in the Apotheon thread, I think, where he talks about how this works...) So anyway, when I've gone to dark and want an area to be lighter AND warmer... I'll paint it a bit lighter than I want to go first, then come over the lighter color to get the shade (and temperature) that's needed... Hope that helps!

The white in that eye is too light. The eye is a ball so the right side of that eye will be in shadow just as the shadow plan on that side. If it looks light in the photo it might have been retouched. I also think you over softened some of the edges of her habit. It's really hard to tell how dark your darks are based on your jpeg. Keep going. Take the color from your sister.

Patricia, the cast for my cast painting had a wandering eye. The teachers told me to make them track together or people would think I had goofed up. I must have repainted that eye about twenty times. Finally, out of desperation, I had my husband pose for me with his head and eyes in the same position as the cast and took a photo of it. That helped me get the eyes right. Maybe you could have someone do the same for you.

Re: that eye, Pat--- looking at it some more, I think you may be showing too much of the white on the far side of the iris.... The far Eye shows no white on that side... It is likely that you would see the skin portion of the corner of the eyelid there, but maybe not so much (or any) of the white of the eyeball? I think Debra's suggestion to get someone to pose for you could be really helpful here.

Patricia, I would only add one thought for now regarding the eyes . . . the shadow of the white of the eyeball on our left appears to be dartker than the shadow of the white of the eyeball on our right. It would be more common for the shadow on our right to be as dark or darker than thee shadow on our left considering the light source being from our left.

Hi Pat,

The lines in the habit (outside edges) are so lovely that I would keep them and just soften the edges. How are you doing on this?

Jean

Hi Pat,

Her eye in the light (on our left) should have lighter values in the darker areas, such as the eyebrow, eyelashes, and iris, than the corresponding areas in shadow. The higher contrast in the lighted areas is now making them too prominent.

Thank you for all your advice!
I am miserable about the eyes after working on it again yesterday. I am happier with the skin tone, but the eyes are embarrassing to see in the pic. but I wanted to show an update. I am losing the drawing of the eyelids and the brows are hard and need to be defined. The lower lid on our left looks too yellow and is "drawn" wrong.

This is soo frustrating. I drew some more sketches and when this dries I will go in again to work on the eyes and eyebrows, the profile and then begin to really work on the habit. I can see in this image the the iris on our right is now too small. The highlights bother me. The top of her cheek on our left is too bright (wow!) and the lower lids are bad on both eyes. UGH!!

I have to say though, that it was so much fun to work on skin color, scumbling to my hearts content. With Marvin's palette it is so easy and logical for a beginner like me. Before Marvin's workshop, the few times I worked in oils I always ended up with mud on the canvas. Now, as long as I stay in the correct value, and use the correct brush, my colors stay clean. I just have to think about chroma and hue in that value. It will take a long time to get that down, but I think the value thing is coming along. At least I am encouraged and just can't wait until the next painting where I do not have to use a poorly lit old black and white photograph!!!

Thanks for looking.

Pat, is it me --or does she bear a resemblance to your daughter-in-law? (She's coming along nicely.)

I'm laughing. I am using my daughter-in-law as my sit in and I hope not losing the image of Sr too much! My bosses here love it so far, though, and they recognize it as Mother Theresa Fitzmaurice. There is a similarity in their features which is why I used my daughter-in-law!!

Ah-ha!.... Here I was going to suggest that your daughter-in-law might be good to pose for those eyes! Too funny. :cool:

Pat--

There's a lot of good advice here, so I can't add much.

The eyes are so similar that it makes me suspect the problem one is a little too hieroglyphic/symbolic, and not realistically observed. Blow up your reference to the same size as your painted head, first of all. Tape it as close to the portrait as you can, and on the same angle--put tape on the top and the bottom. This will more closely simulate painting sight/size from life. You can't paint what you can't see.

Also, try drawing the eye as a series of short, straight lines, to more accurately observe the linear angles in it, then smooth some of these into curves. The curves are probably a little too "curvy" and stylized, contributing to the symbolic aspect. They told you in first grade that eyes are two curved lines in an almond shape, with a circle in the middle, but in reality, they rarely are. In other words, you may be painting the eye you were taught instead of the eye you see.

Best as always--TE

Pat, my two centss worth. Overall, the highlight on (our) left cheek doesn't look too bright for me due to the light source. That seems to be the logical spot for a high light. One thing, though, I'd like to add is the values of the white of the habit compared to her flesh tones.

The lightest lights can not be brighter than the lightest darks.

Therefore the white habit in its highlights and shadows needs to be lighter than the highlights and shadows of the flesh tones. Check the values and their relationships.

Very nice in its feel. You have captured for me a spirit that dwells in goodness. Please don't get frustrated. Keep going.

Thank you, John for the compliment. It does spur me on! Mother Theresa Fitzmaurice was only 29 years old when she purchased the 55 acres and began to build this beautiful motherhouse in 1905. Pretty incredible for a woman 100 years ago. This part of Cleveland was considered the boonies back then and allot of people thought she was crazy!

As far as the white of the habit. I will keep this in mind. I have not really addressed the painting of the habit yet.

Tom, you are exactly right about the "styalized eyes". I know that is what I am guilty of because I cannot see detail. I have attached a blown up view so you can see how vague the eye is. When I look with a magnifying glass at the photo it even looks like someone at one time drew a line around the iris. (There are a couple very sad looking drawings of this photo in archives!)

Even though I am using a "sit-in" and laying in what I see, when I look at the photo it no longer looked like Sr. so then I reworked the eye and it went back to YUCK. I will keep in mind your thought of straight lines then curved. So basic, yet I forgot this bit about drawing I learned! It is amazing ALL that you have to think about when painting. To concentrate on one aspect I seem to lose something else . . . By the end of the day yesterday, I was happy when I looked at it upside down and it still looked like a human form - I AM still in grade school :)

She REALLy does look a lot like your daughter in law!! :)

I'm calling her done
 

Unless you have some suggestions that would not overwhelm me (ie scare me that I will RUIN this portrait) I am calling her done. I know there is so much that I don't like, but I am happy it holds together. In other words, there are two eyes, a nose, a mouth, an expression I like!!

It's the most I hoped for this being my first truly completed portrait in oils. I present it on April 2nd, so if anyone has desperate measures I should take to improve it, let me have at it!!

Thank you for looking and for all of your advice and support, which I take seriously.

Pat-

I've never presented a portrait without having some of those feelings you describe. Just keep them to yourself. Your client will be plenty happy, as there's plenty here to be happy about. So enjoy it--you've earned it.

As with most things in life that are worthwhile, I've found that what I was the most afraid of ended up being what I've come to look forward to.

Best--TE

Wow, that goes into my quotes collection, Tom! And thank you for the vote of confidance! I will definately let you all know how it goes over after the 2nd. Bishop Pilla will be there....who knows?????? Well, I can dream big, can't I?? :)

Pat-

It all fits extremely well. I agree with Tom, your client will be happy.

Congratulations on your good work.

Thank you, for the compliment, John. Makes my day

Hi Pat-- This turned out well! and you managed to soften her expression so subtly.

Pat, I agree with the others, this turned out well. I especially like the chin coming out of the cowl (is that what to call it?) - it's like you can reach out and grab it. I'm looking forward to hearing how your presentation goes.
Debra

Pat - Congratulations! You should be very proud - you did a great job with a poor reference to boot.

Thanks John, Terri, Deb and Kim
Your comments just made my day! I bring it in to the nuns next week in the frame, to give them a few days to get used to her before the unveiling on the 2nd. I will definately let you know how it goes. I'm encouraged by all your support that they will like it. And I can't wait to see it in a frame.

Your are all great, thanks for the support!!

It might be a good idea to show the client the painting as far in advance of their planned unveiling date as you can. If this is done, take it to them now. That way, if there are changes, there will be time to make them and have the paint dry before the big unveiling itself.

Hi Michele,
I didn't think about this. Perhaps I can bring it in tomorrow. I will talk to the sisters in charge to make sure they will be here.

Thank you!
Pat