Aud
 

My wife, Aud.
I feel that it is time that I let go with this portrait of my wife. Thanks to all members that helped discuss it in the Works in Progress section.
Oil on canvas, 70 x 55 cm / 27,5 x 22"

Beautiful Allan.

I hope it lasts a thousand years and inspires many future Rahbek's to the arts.

Allan,

This is magnificent in its simplicity. And I know often it takes more effort to pare a concept down to its essence! You really have accomplished this, and I admire both the process and the result. Plus, I think you've really captured her. Though I don't know her, I feel that I do, or that I want to. It's the kind of beauty that other people see in a person.

Not only that, your paint handling is getting more amazing than ever.

Allan,

I just saw this on the WIP section. Your work has a freshness that comes right out of the monitor and into the viewers

Allan--

Perfect resolution to all that you felt you were struggling with in the previous posts....Well done!

--TE

Oh Allan, I missed the WIP but this is just gorgeous! Wow!

Thank you all for your wonderful support .

Mike,
they say that a picture speaks more than a thousand words, so if I can persuade a child or a grand one to grab a brush, it's fine with me.

Alex,
I am sure that you would like to know her, she is my best critic and have a better taste than I ;)
You'r right about simpleness, it's complicated.

Carlos,
Thank you my friend, I also look forward to see your new project in the WIP section. I will comment on it.

Tom,
Your suggestions while in progress were really helpful. it's hard to go back to a once rejected idea, but that's what I needed to do.

Terry,
thank you for the nice words.

What a great portrait Allan.
It will hang beautifully on your wall.

Congrats.

Allan,
always that nice brush work!
Thanks for sharing the WIP, it was interresting to follow...
Looks like a very solid portrait now.
And what says your best critique about it?

Allan, very strong and communicative portrait. I also love looking at the background's texture, painted with intention. A lot to learn from this.
Ilaria

Thank you, Bonfim,
Yes I am happy to have here where I can see her ;)

Marina,
Aud is a fine critic, I always listen. She has the advantage of having the fresh eyes, she don't know what parts were laborious and which came easy to me.
She say's that she like the portrait, she is very kind to me.

Ilaria,
Thanks, I had a hard time with that background and I am glad that I settled with the simple solution.
Actually, I was in on your backgrounds to fish for inspiration, I like your calm, pastel colors.

Allan,

This is really a terrific portrait - simple and yet it really conveys a sense of intimacy. By that I mean that it could only have been painted by someone who knows her really well. I find there is an irony in this picture in that I get the feeling that this might be the expression and look that Aud might have when looking at this portrait of herself. Sort of like "Picture of a Woman Looking at a Picture of Herself." It really is a beautiful painting,

A lovely, wonderful portrait. Beautiful.

Janet

Allan, it is a beautiful portrait. I enjoyed watching it's transformation with the different backgrounds. Thank you for sharing the process of your artistic mind.

Oh, Allan, it is just gorgeous. We (female spouses ) should all be so fortunate.

Alllan, this is just gorgeous. :)

Allan, what can I say that has not bees said. So, please accept my congrats on a job well done!

All the best to you and Aud

Clive,
you really got me to think about this issue. Is she reading my opinion about her in the painting ?
Well yes and no. I did intend to portray her the best way that I could, to make her happy. I think that I can stand up for the result, as my own opinion; this is how I see her.
But on the other hand I am aware that those kind of people have ways to manipulate men's understanding of the world, so that we think that we are in control, which we are not.
So maybe this is a picture that she painted herself , that would be for you to figure out, right?

Janet, Enzie, Chris, Kim and Mischa,
thank you for your wonderful words. :)

Allan, such a beautiful and sensitive portrait you have made. It's such a pleasurable experience to paint/sculpt someone you love. I'm sure the both of you will treasure having this painting always.

Thank you, Heidi,
this is something I have wanted for long, to paint my wife. I think it is difficult to be objective when you know somebody that well - too little or too much - ;)

Allan,

Is "Aud" a common Danish name? Is is short for something else, like Audrey? If it is Danish does it translate to English like the Spanish Miguel to Mike?

Also, how did you come to speak and write English so well?

Spel Chek. ;)

Aud is an old Nordic name - Viking name- meaning "wealth". The A is pronounced like OE, in Danish,

:thumbsup: What a beautiful portrait, really outstanding! :thumbsup:

Allan, your work is outstanding. I think next l you will be painting Her Majesty Dronning Margrethe.

Thank you , Grete,
I will see if I can squeeze her in ;)

Lately I have adjusted on the portrait. I felt that the background was no good so I changed the color by scumbling, and softened the edges on the dress and pushed up the colors a bit.
So this is how it looks today.

I love the solidity and structure of the head and neck, Allan: the working of them together into one convincing mass. The muscle structure in the neck really shows it to be convicingly holding up the weight of the head. It give such a good feeling of reality and character. And I love the brush marks that render it because on close viewing they are so unexpected - i.e they leave you wondering just how you did it. That's genius! I meant it. It makes for a profound painting.

(one of my nicest memories in childhood was taking a boat trip from the UK to Denmark. I was about 5 or 6 and thought it was so lovely and green and clear there. My brother and I both had t-shirts in the design of the Danish flag and which said "Danmark" on them)

Allan. I've loved this one since you started it, way back when. And you are still diddling. I think you need to paint about twenty portraits of your wife and get this out of your system!

I've always loved your brushwork, it is solid and honest. This is a complex portrait of a woman I would like to meet.

Jean

Thomasin and Jean, thanks,

Yes, I am still diddling and fiddling with details trying to make that .... background function.
I think that I need to frame it before I can finish it completely.

Very sensitive and beautiful! I love it.

I think it looks real nice, Alan. I think the background works well as is.

I'm amazed at how much the addition of a frame can impact how you feel about a painting and how they can influence your decisions on many levels. I think that ideally you should frame them about three quarters of the way into the painting.

Something that's this personal you just don't want to let the process end.

You are right Mike, I don't want the process to end, it never crossed my mind.
I believe that we only paints one painting in our lives, distributed on several canvases. The process never ends, luckily.

This portrait has a wider background than I use to do. I did that because I often feel that the frame 'strangles' the painting a bit if there is not enough space around the face.

I remember reading that De Laszlo always had the frame on when he painted.

Cynthia,
thanks for your kind approval.

Well, you know me, I had to do something. ;)

My wife grew up by the sea in Norway.

Someone take this painting away from Allan! :)

Allan, I had to laugh when I saw you are still at it. Every time I get used to seeing the painting in one way you surprise us with something else. These are the pitfalls of having a painter in the house. What does you wife think of the new background?

I like how you are relating your wife's ancestry to the background, but I thought the way you had it before was pretty awesome as well. It is interesting to see how the different colors in the background effect the colors in her face and the overall feel of the painting.

Enzie,
I kind of liked it too, the way it was, so maybe I will change it back. ;)

Seriously, I think that the new colors set off the skin colors more than the former background did.
My wife like the background, she say that it is "her colors". I knew that before and think that it may be the reason why I took the decision to change the background. And then it tells a story.

Allan, it's beautiful. It looks complete, now.

Don't touch.

Allan, I never would have thought to do this, but now she looks like the Good Witch of the Sea. There's an added dimension to her, a kind of power or spirit, that wasn't in its element before. Okay, you can call me crazy!

Thanks, Cindy, I won't

Alex,
I felt that the former background was too neutral. She is never neutral, she possess a strong spirit.
I would never call you crazy, I don't even think that you are ;)