Greta
 

Here's one I started earlier this year but had to set it aside - only lately had time to finish. Another student of mine - one of the side benefits of teaching - lots of free models!

15" X 18" - oil on canvas

David, how beautiful.To me this is the height of modern classical portraiture, so exceptionally well done. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

David,

You have such a straightforward but elegant way with your portraits. This has such a classic, timeless feel to it and your technical prowess is up to its usual high level, already expected from you. I am taken especially by your skin tones and especially the mouth area (in this aspect she reminds me a bit of that Scarlett actress so in vogue now...the one from the "Horse Whisperer")...very fine work!

David,
It took my breath away when it came up on my screen. I just love it!!!
Congatulations, your work is so exciting to me.

Very fine work. I admire how you keep the paint rich at the same time as taking away the brush marks.

Exquisite, David.

You have such a gift for subtlety, both in your approach to your subjects, and in the way you execute their portraits.

Everyone else put it so well, that I can only second their comments! Really exquisite!

David,

Absolutely beautiful!

I wish I had the words to describe just how wonderfully strong I think your work is. There seems to be no area under worked or over worked.

Really terrific, David!

David,

A very strong and wonderfully executed work. It has that soft, fresh feel that only the young have and you have captured it beaurtifully.

Beautiful!

Lovely work, David!

Thank you everyone for your kind responses.

Carlos, I definitely was thinking about Scarlett Johansson when I was painting this - and you're right, it's the lips.

Thomasin, thank you. It's interesting what you say, because all the while I was painting this, I kept hearing myself say, "this is not how I want to paint." While I am fairly pleased with the result, I feel that maybe I am too much "taking away the brush marks." I sense that the real expressive power of paint on canvas has as much to do with the richness of the surface as with the illusion being created. But I don't want to just have interesting brushwork for it's own sake, without it meaning something, without it fully supporting the illusion. I see a lot of paintings out there that have all kinds of bravura brushwork, but which in the final analysis, don't add up to anything. If I get more "painterly," I want it to be because that's a better, more efficient way to convey the illusion - as well as the atmosphere, mood and emotion of the piece.

To temper my current frustration with the way I paint, I also remind myself that I haven't been painting very long, and that I just need to paint a whole lot more - and that in time I will find better - and quicker, more efficient - ways of laying down paint. So I'm not going to force anything. I will just let my natural curiosity lead me. I also think that working more from life will be key.

Simply a fabulous piece....

This is so elegant, restrained, soulful - and I agree with Carlos - the mouth area is extraordinarily well handled. Bravo, David!

Beautiful portrait! It has softness, atmosphere and wonderfully rendered form.
Congratulations!
Working from life is the key...

David,

A most beautiful portrait! The strength of this portrait is also embodied in the captured emotion. This is destined to be a top favorite of all time at this Forum. You are a wonderful painter.

Garth

David,

Such an accomplished work of art. Congratulations.

Tom, Linda, Olena, Garth and Mike,

Coming from such accomplished artists as yourselves, that really means a lot!

Very nice David!

David,
I used to say that your pastels have the quality of oils, now I don't know what is up or down, you have the ability of anything. Very nice, subtle.... real.
Do you do loose works too? hinttttttt!!!!!!!!

Well, I haven't been painting that long, and as I've indicated elsewhere, working in a looser manner is something I'm intrigued with. I know there's nothing wrong with "tight" - many of my most favorite paintings of past Masters are tight - but I do feel that, with painting, there are many "secrets" to unlock...and I sense that by experimenting a bit (painting loose), it's a good way to learn. I guess if I am excessively "tight," it's natural for a beginning painter. I'm sure I'll learn where I need to go.

I do have to learn to paint faster. At the rate I'm going, even if I live to be 100, I'll have about twelve paintings finished!!

Hey, thanks for the nice comments!

Painting loosely seems to be a bit like singing to yourself as opposed to singing in public. At the start, if you are a public singer or a professional painter, the things you sing to yourself seem so far away from the dignity of professionalism - the silliness, the putting of your all into a bad note loudly, the singing of songs you would never admit liking in public etc. When you sing in public you start by making all the right choices based on what seems to be acceptable and admired.

I think that as you go on there begins to be a blurring between your private artistic self and your public one, and you start to get tired of putting away the instinctive movements of your arm, and instinctive workings of your mind.

I find with myself that the beginning stages of a painting these days are lasting longer and longer - i.e the stages when I am fooling around with paint, not committing to a professional-looking composition etc. At first it seems like I've finally lost it and I really am bored with painting, but, in fact, I think it is a rebellion of the mind to working against its natural creative impulses.

There's a real passion and soaring feeling when you are singing to yourself, a real transcendental experience which I never get when I am singing correctly and publicly. But this feeling actually comes from assimilating the techniques of traditional singing so one day you find yourself singing with everything you have and it actually sounds in tune, clear and conveys the emotions accurately. It is the same with painting, I think. At the start when traditional technique is not second nature, when you take your public and peers too seriously, and your private and professional artistic selfs have not merged, there's a lack of flow between your need to paint and the paint that is put down. When your technique is more a part of you, or you allow your natural responses to the subject to be put down without interference, and when the opinions of your public and peers don't matter so much, then, I think, your paintings may be less static. It's a bit of a leap of faith to let yourself continue to doodle or mess around with the paint through those many precious hours of studio time. You also need to let your mind be receptive to bits of the painting that work according to your gut feeling and not the received ideas of your contemporaries. Something glorious will happen, if you let your instinct lead you and you let yourself learn from it.

Thomasin, every thing you said is so well put! You obviously have thought about this a great deal, and your thoughts are so well expressed, cogent. And your use of the analogy to singing, I think, is particularly apt.

If someone asks me what I'm trying to say with this issue, I'm going to point to your last reply and say, ..."what she said!"

David,

Sorry I missed this while I was away. It's a truly lovely, honest and perceptive portrait of a real person. I admire that in all your work. In fact, the excellence and personality of your work transcends the issue of "tight " vs. "loose," so no matter where your style goes from here, you should have no fear of losing that essential quality!

I started out painting much more tightly, and I felt dissatisfied because I always wanted to paint more loosely. I remember how thrilling it was when I first heard my brush work described as "loose" and "expressive!" But it took a long time. I would say painting from life made a big difference but again it didn't happen overnight. The other thing that has helped me is painting landscapes. Since you are not worried about getting a likeness, you can "sing for yourself" as in Thomasin's metaphor. There are so many ways to move your brush, so many directions, lengths of stroke, and so many choices of brushes! Each stroke should be as descriptive as possible. You will eventually find yourself painting almost like writing, as brush strokes are like handwriting, very individual.

This has evolved into an interesting discussion. David, I love and admire your paintings just the way they are, even for their tightness. Though I also agree with what Thomasin says. I have the opposite issue, I started out very loose and need to tighten up. Once I achieve the feeling I want, it feels a bit of a chore sometimes to make sense of the details. More and more and especially when I see work like yours I learn to love the details as well.

Alex, thanks. Those are some very good points. Yes, my goal is not necessarily to paint "loose." My goal is not to paint "tight," either. My goal is to paint better. With more economy, and more expressively. I think your suggestion to paint landscapes is a very good one. I'm also going to do some still lifes in the coming weeks, for no other reason than to learn. I'm confident I will eventually find my own "language."

Christy, thank you so much. You know, I've always admired your work tremendously, and as far as I can see, in all your work you take each piece exactly as far as it needs to go. There is a real economy of means in your work which, I think, is the mark of a true professional, a mature artist.

...this whole painting thing: what a wonderful journey!

David,

I have a difficult time describing your work as "tight".

Your work transcends the word. I believe you have a beautiful style that stands alone and is quickly recognized as your own.

I do understand your desire to explore for that is where knowledge lies waiting to be discovered. With your gift I believe that no matter where your search takes you, you will come away with a better product.

As they say, on your tombstone between the dates of your birth and death is a dash. That dash represents your life. Have fun with your dash and explore.