Wow, this portrait is dazzling! The controlled values and the way the clothes connect with the building are really great. The painting seems to give off happiness, without being in any way cheesy.
I showed it as a work in progress in another forum and in early stages, he had a very smirky look. That came from trying to tweak the expression into something it wasn't. Not having a lot of reference I repainted it to the original photo and was much happier.
I had a cool.blue background originally and two views of the church. When I gave up and decided a BIG single view was a better idea, I used a nice warm royal sort of blue to blend into the clouds and it was as if a new face came out! The warmth happened when I chucked the old composition.
Thanks both of you. Lacey - the highlight of the thing was when I put a gold frame on it. My amateur feeling rendering of all the bling was rewarded. It LOOKS like gold in the frame, even if the frame might not be the BEST of all possible golds.
You have a lovely result from what sounds like a complicated process!
I love your use of gold and the details; his face is excellent, the kindness and character really shine through
Hybrid Mode
