My Camouflage Painter's Coat.

l.w. roth dressed for action in the studio

If my smock falls on the floor, I hardly notice it.

Mostly my shorts and a tee shirt. And when I remember,which sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, I wear the doctor's coat Zac's dad gave me. The decorative band, of a million paintings, across the front, matches the floor of my studio to a tee. If I laid down, my grandkids would have a hard time finding me during hide and seek; I blend right in. I wore my coat today. I'm trying to be more professional on the job and protect my tee shirts. I thought I was real lucky the other day when just a little mineral oil got out the offensive red oxide on the one shirt I like with my white shorts.

Zac is definitely Zac. Now, his hair, the background, his shirt. Then back to Steve.

 Just a half day, I got a lot further with Zac. I'm down to fine brush work on his features, making him "sit right" in the background and painting his shirt. Then I'll turn my attention to Steve. I know his features better than Zac's, being that I watched them form as he grew from infancy to manhood.

 It's a long process painting a portrait, gestural or formal. I think formal may be easier--not in the painting of it, but in the set up.  Under formal conditions, the artist is in charge of the lighting. The sitter's pose is carefully adjusted along with spotlights and keylights and controlling the natural light. Doing a portrait from a "snapshot," the lighting is what is was in nature. The reference photo of Zac and Steve was taken near noon out-of-doors on a sunny day. Warm white light is definitely on the palette and the shadows are--or should be--dark. This lighting is what has caused me problems. But I've got it now.

The left eye needs to be more piercing. This society dame knows who she is
and the power she has.  I'll bet Sargent knew it too.  High society was the
source of his patrons. That's why he was a known social climber .

Warming up with Sargent, is interesting in figuring out what the artist used. There's definitely white pastel. Perhaps black pastel? And charcoal sticks as well as pencils. In my copies, I've only used charcoal sticks and my knead eraser. Pastel pencils would be handy too. I'm just too lazy to get them out. Getting too exacting would push the drawing beyond warm up into actually copying the master. I'm not interested in that--although there's probably some big money to be made for an original "Sargent drawing."

Edwin's glass eye needed adjustment. I couldn't resist
a go back in this morning. Learning how to see is
the major payoff of copying the masters.