My Blog List

Friday, November 16, 2012

Flash Bash


Work in progress, Son #2  detail. He's good enough for now.

Work in progress - Jon. He's tough, he can take it.
There's a lot of bluish gray delineation when you use a flash and the reds are really strong if the film was Kodachrome-- it probably was. Ecto was too blue for me.

This guy has needs--a little feathering here, some working in gray lines-- but for now, I'll let him perk. I have no doubt this painting when finished will hang on the wall and haunt me, but that will be it.  There will be no going back under this bridge next year or the year after that. --Actually, this doesn't look too bad.  He's a pretty good rendition of what bashing with a flash does  to forms and color. You can see the effects more on Jon.

Son #3 got a beating. I laid into him mercilessly. It was a good start, but now he needs to be cooled down and defined. It's not going to be painless. It's a good thing he played football. He can take anything I can brush out.

Painterly will be the description for this triple portrait--perhaps amateurish as well?


Son #2's  better half
My house guest is also an artist. She paints in oils and is currently exploring watercolor. I'm looking forward to spending a couple of sessions together making beautiful images.

17 comments:

  1. Dear Linda, when I see your new post, I'll jump in because I really like follow your reasoning on the art of the day...and more.Today great:portrait steps but always to a successful, and," speedy", a beautiful portrait of daughter in law, more expressive than any possible photo!
    Have a good time with your family and I hope you can work with the guest artist!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It'll be my pleasure to work along side her. It's nice to have another artist in the family.

      As for son #2, I've got his hard cold eyes and his condescending smirk. He was not happy to be in the photograph--can you blame him? But a dab here and there can make that more of a smile and lessening the flash bounce in his eyes will help to soften his look as well. The highlights need increasing and the shadows need warming up. But the likeness is there and those things can wait till I get the other two men to the same point.

      Delete
  2. Children; once you have them then it's a life long struggle to shape them, to light them up, to give them values and depth :)
    Son #1 and #2 look great, Linda! I'm sure in your response will write a list of things need to be done yet, but to my eyes your hard worked portrait of your 3 sons is very beautiful- at least, the two I see above. The sketch is fantastic and you must have quite beautiful daughter-in-love :)
    Hugs and Smiles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so. She looks just as gorgeous as the Greek women on the Greek pottery in our museum. Beautiful.

      Whatever that portrait is going to be, it's going to be. It will either plague me or please me--and my opinion is the only one that really counts, since it's for my eyes only. It really is a developmental piece.

      Delete
  3. Your work is outstanding, Linda!! Honestly, values, skin tones...very impressive!!! and your daughter-in-law is beautiful! her smile shines!!!!
    Enjoy your weekend!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoy your weekend too Hilda. Thank you. There's still work to be done, but he's progressing.

      Delete
  4. Love your charcoal of your daughter-in-law!! She looks like a very warm person.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What about Son #2? Too harsh? I'm about to soften him up.

      Delete
  5. My computer has been badly broken, but is now restored. Hope you and Ellis are well. Will try to get up to speed over the next few days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My sympathies for your computer woes. I've had a few myself this weekend. It must be in the air? Ellis and I are better than fine. We're looking forward to a visit from our other west coast son and his lady; both are pictured here. I'd like to get him looking a little less put-out before he arrives, but I'm busy cooking instead of painting. I don't want to miss a minute of their visit tied to kitchen duty. So, cook and freeze has been my main interest--along with cleaning out my picture files. My computer told me I had no more disc space and wanted to wipe out all my thumbnails! Not being the best on naming files, that was out of the question. So I am deleting and renaming for the sake of gaining megabytes. I should have done it a long time ago. Take care John. Say hello to Pat for me.

      Delete
  6. Linda: I always appreciate how you "build" a portrait. It is a real talent to be admired.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good morning Linda!
    I love the two works in progress of your sons. The colors are warm and inviting! I also love the charcoals of your daughter-in-law and son. Nice job!
    Your work ethic is admirable.
    I very much enjoy visiting your blog. Your art work is always a visual treat and I very much enjoy the dialogue between you and your blog followers.
    Have a great holiday!
    Thanks for posting for all to enjoy.
    Take care.
    Your art buddy,
    Michael

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Michael. I do enjoy your comments. And the tribute paintings you posted on your blog are wonderful. Passion is the key to great art. You can tell the artist's heart was in it as soon as you see it. Your big heart beats strongly in those paintings.

      Delete
  8. Your post made me smile. You're being way too hard on yourself. When I first saw the painting I immediately knew that I was going to start my comment by complimenting the rich skin tones. Then I read what you said about the skin colors. They're wonderful. They give the men a strong, bold, manly sense. They make the portraits come to life! You did a wonderful job on them! Have fun making art with your friend this week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Katherine. And thanks for your reassuring words on how those skin tones are coming. I have a lot of work still to do, but I'm putting it aside for a month. My kids will be here this next week. The following week, if I get any painting in, it'll be in short bursts, in between getting ready for our Mexico trip. So after Mexico, I'll pick it up again.

      Delete
  9. I can never decide what I like more about your posts, the images or the narrative... you're so good at both :-)

    ReplyDelete