[Marvin Mattelson]

Hanna,

I think you are a very talented artist with great potential, therefore I am giving you the following advice for your consideration.

Living in the New York City area I have been able to study the paintings of the great master painters, and to my eye, the essential quality they share is the masterful way in which they handle the modeling of form.

The key to successful modeling is the separation of light and shadow. Regardless of what you think you see, the values in the shadow areas must be lower than the values in the areas illuminated by the light source. If you violate this principle, you'll sacrifice unity and flatten the image. Reflected light should be handled primarily through hue changes, and most certainly not by value alone.

In your painting, for example, you have merged the reflected light under the jowl with the light on the cheek. In the photo, the distinction between the two is subtle and in this case must be exaggerated.

Modeling of form has nothing to do with copying what is in front of you, be it photo or life. The creation of form is a concept that is manifested by the artist in the painting or drawing. I had this realization at a show of Van Dyke paintings. I noticed that the figures in the paintings appeared more real than the people looking at the paintings.

The brain is the artist's most valuable tool.