Doris, of the Red Hats.

Debra Jones · 02-07-2004, 01:23 AM

I took the photos of this commission yesterday at my day job. I find it much more comfortable for me to have a lot of candids or snapshots than working my tail off for the stiff formal pose.

Ask Chris Saper, since I took the photos yesterday, I am posting the finish today.

My model is 80ish and like a second mother. Her vivacity is what I was going for. That and not as many wrinkles as a recent portrait I did of my own mother. It is all about glamour.

11" x 9" oil on canvas.

Michele Rushworth · 02-07-2004, 02:05 AM

Lovely -- there's no stopping you now. And I can't believe you did this in one day!

Debra Jones · 02-07-2004, 02:10 AM

Oh Michelle, I am the queen of 10" x 8". Give me a face and there is no holding me back. What gets me is arms, necks, legs, clothes, background, shoulders etc. To me expanding my work literally means to expand it.

I have an exciting adventure on Sunday, I hope I can post something from that shoot and tell the tale of the commission as it unfolds. BUT not jinxing it, I will simply tease.

Cynthia Daniel · 02-07-2004, 02:19 AM

This is an amazing portrait! I love it.

Mary Sparrow · 02-07-2004, 07:29 AM

Paint me! LOL

This is so fresh and beautiful. There is alot of amazing work on this site, but yours has such a spark.

Michele Rushworth · 02-07-2004, 11:23 AM

You've probably heard this before, but if you can paint faces this well, you can paint anything. With your skill and with the business tips you are learning from Chris' class, you'll be dealing with a commission backlog and winning portrait society awards before you know it.

Chris Saper · 02-07-2004, 07:51 PM

Debra,

I probably sound like a broken record, but this is very much your fresh and lively work.

Linda Brandon · 02-07-2004, 08:48 PM

Debra, you sure are on a roll. This is so lovely. Well done!

One of my (many, and often unproveable) theories is that painting a lot from life helps an artist capture facial expression. You're helping to convince me I'm on the right track with this.

Elizabeth Schott · 02-08-2004, 01:46 AM

Debra, I just love your work. Bravo!

Debra Jones · 02-08-2004, 04:29 AM

Well, the client saw it online. She says her eyes are off. Well, of COURSE her eyes are off! Either that or the mouth. That is when you graduate, when there is something about the mouth that is off you have reached Sargent-dom!

I am happy you all like it.

I believe it is a value thing, not so much drawing. Her far eye is lighter so it seems starker. I think knocking the contrast back, as we would say in digital, would make them more alike. Hopefully this is not the first of many corrections mid course to come.