Commission for a grandson

[Julie Deane]

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I will try out some things and post this evening, I hope.

The background will stay as is. I'll darken that hair and ear up a bit. Can't really lighten the lighter areas past the paper itself and don't want to add white, since it's not a toned paper and don't think it would look right. There really is more of a value shift than this shows and I will try on the next round to show it better.

Didn't like the white shirt he wore, so am not going to lighten it up. The shirt did lose a bit of area when I started using charcoal in the background. Now it's really going to be too hard to go back and retrieve it - don't think it's worth the bother.

I am more than ready to let this one go. It was fun, but I'm in the midst of the final end-of-school-year frenzy of paperwork and meetings and am tired.

[Linda Brandon]

Julie, I think you did a wonderful job here. I'm just looking at this, musing whether you might have had an easier time if you had used a gray-toned paper and whether you should do this for future commissions like this.

[Michele Rushworth]

I don't think a dark background necessarily means that the shadow side of the face would have to go so much darker. The photo may have been shot with a fill, for example. I guess you can let personal preference decide for you, Julie.

[Julie Deane]

Thanks, Michelle and Linda. You're right, Linda - gray paper with highlighting would have been really nice for this. I wish I had had a sample of that for the client to choose.

You sure do reap what you sow for portraiture:
"I want it just like that" the client says, looking at your samples. So, if you show pictures of kids, you'll get more of the same, samples of elders - ditto. My goal is to get a variety of types of people and samples of only those drawing and painting styles that I prefer to do.

[Julie Deane]

Here it is with some more darkening done, and a few touches here and there.

[Terri Ficenec]

Julie, you've really captured him! I caught this thread earlier today and considered chiming in, but then it looked like you had so much advice to sift through already. You did a great job on sifting through it all and figuring out what would work for you. Beautiful!

[Julie Deane]

Thanks, Terri -

I'm glad I kept going. I see a few more things - the changing skin tone on (our) left side of the forehead messes up the values and I may fudge that a bit. Plus the shirt on our right side may need a bit more definition and lightening up here and there.

[Carolyn Bannister]

This is really lovely, you really have captured him, I really love all the detail in the texture of his skin. I think your client will be thrilled

Carolyn (Bannister)

[Julie Deane]

It's not quite done - you know how it is? Seeing more and more that could be done better? But there has to be a stopping point!

I'm thinking that it's a tad too dark and consequently flat looking on (our) left side of the face. That plus the other things mentioned. It'll be posted again after those things are done.

[Ngaire Winwood]

Wow Julie, you are really progressing quickly. I am looking forward to seeing it finished.