Portrait Painting Lessons

 

 

It has been over six months since I joined a figure/portrait painting group here in Gainesville, and I have yet to earn a white belt. On the first day back in October, there was a great sense of anticipation. Having never painted people from life, I found myself deep into unknown territory, but was excited to see where it would lead.

 

 

 

No matter your subject, painting style, or methods, it is always challenging to try something new. Taking the wax on, wax off approach, you will eventually pick up speed and develop a consistent strategy, with or without a coach.

  

 

I felt compelled to revisit this insightful scene, where Mr. Miyagi gives Daniel some powerful advice.

Painting White Birds

Sky High

8x10 Oil on Panel

The sky’s the limit when painting white subjects. It is like starting with a blank canvas and a multitude of possibilities.

The colors I selected for this Great White Egret were based upon their compatibility with the pale blue sky. The front portion of the bird’s body is highlighted with titanium white and cadmium yellow, while the back half transitions into shades of purple, burnt sienna, and blue, with a touch of black for the legs and feet. The idea was to simulate the bird flying in the direction of sun, and although the feathers consists of warm and cool colors, the mind still reads the subject as being white.
 

Mothering Instincts

30x24 Acrylic on Canvas

 

With this painting, I wanted the hatchlings to be the focal point. By selecting two bright colors for their bodies, they appear separate, yet similar in tone and vibrancy, as compared to the mother bird. The background is painted dark, increasing the overall contrast and intensity.

Every now and then, begin your palette without using black and white, and watch where the colors  take you ~

5 Ways to Create High Contrast Oil Paintings

Hope

14x11 Oil on Canvas



My taste in art has varied over the years. As I am now intrigued by oil paintings with high levels of contrast, it seems as if much of my artwork reflects this preference, including my latest work.

Here are several concepts I use for creating high contrast paintings:

Selective color choices— With this painting, most of the colors are similar on the tonal scale and vibrancy. Brilliant yellows, reds, and oranges make it easy to identify subjects from a distance. I was once told by an art instructor that particularly in landscape paintings, adding yellow in the foreground fosters a sense of close proximity.

Tonal variations – Use the whitest whites and the darkest darks. While this may seem obvious, sometimes the “whitest white” is the lightest shade of any color verses pure white. The “darkest dark” may be purple, brown, or blue,  instead of black, depending upon the image. Modify light, medium, and dark areas, and examine their tonal relationships to each other.

Avoid creating mud— Allow layers to dry in between applications when using oils. Avoid creating mud… the dreaded result of mixing too many colors, therefore forming a less than desirable grayish-brown tone. You may want to stay with a limited color palette until you know which formulas play well together.

Planned underpainting— Experiment with underpainting your canvases black, gray, or red, instead of basic white. Think in terms of the end result, before beginning the process. The base coat should serve as a foundation from which the other colors mingle. The base coat I chose for this painting was magenta.

Using professional grade paints and transparent oils – Avoid the temptation of using white to lighten every color. Higher quality pigments and transparent oils can often increase the depth and vibrancy of your paintings. Venture beyond the basic color set and incorporate wider color variations of pre-mixed tubes.

Take another look at your walls, wardrobe, and art books. Record your favorite works after visiting an art show or museum. Chances are, inspiration for a new series or a different approach to painting lies somewhere within the things you admire.

Color Palette Sourcebook

Petals of Strength

5x7 Oil on Panel

This single dogwood was a nice break from the more complex paintings I’ve been doing lately.  Even the process of color selection was enjoyable. I stumbled across a nifty little book entitled, Pattern + Palette Sourcebook  compiled by Anvil Graphic Design, Inc. for the inspiration. This guide is filled with designer patterns with harmonious color choices, showing five blocks of swatches on each page. With 950+ pattern variations, selecting only one was the challenge.

The palette I chose consists of two shades of orange, two purple, black, and green.  I placed the book near my easel and referred to the swatch as I painted.

Sometimes a combination of colors on a shirt, rug, or fabric will catch my eye and I will immediately think about a painting theme. It is often difficult to recall those tones later and photographing them in the moment isn’t normally an option. Perhaps this reference will trigger similar combinations, while initiating new ones.

Mission Commission

Land of Plenty

11x14 Acrylic on Panel

Original sold. Prints available

This is a recent commissioned painting I completed for my art collecting friends living in South Carolina. The reference image was taken in the northern region of Oregon’s beautiful wine country. I’ve never visited this location, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about painting… it takes me to so many wonderful places.

Below is the first image I emailed back to the clients for feedback regarding color and composition. The conversations are not written verbatim, but you can get the idea of how my commissioned painting process works via email:

"Can you tone down the orange a bit?" ... No problem!

 

"The orange is perfect now. Can you add some chunky texture?" ...Great idea, poof!

 

"Nice texture! How about a little house on the hill?"...  This only gets better with paint.

 

"Lovely house! Can you add Russian Sage in the foreground?"... Now we’re bloomin’

 

 

Is there anything else you'd like to see?

 

"Wow! We love it!"... It was fancy teamwork. Yeah!

This one is heading to home sweet home :)

Custom artwork often challenges me to put aside preconceived ideas in order to achieve the clients’ vision. This was the first palette knife painting I’ve done in over eight years. I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to spread loads of paint around like butter.

“A house is made of walls and beams. A home is made of love and dreams. ”  ~ Unknown

How to Overcome Painter's Block

Dream Weaver

24x30 Oil on canvas

Prints available at FAA

 

Putting all April fooling aside, my carousel painting is finally complete and it feels good to have this monsterpiece behind me. There are still a few more carousels in my que, but they’re not as complex as this one. When I imagine where they would be displayed, I think of the series decorating a child’s room… something fun and colorful.

 

In the midst of painting this piece early last year, I developed a creative slump artists frequently refer to as Painter’s Block. Now that it’s over, I realize there are things I could have done to get past this feeling sooner and wanted to share them with you.
 

Recall the initial inspiration— Remember why you started the painting in the first place. Does the subject matter still inspire you? Chances are, it still does and there are deeper reasons for the block.

Revive your workspace  

·         Start with a fresh new palette and brushes

·         Ensure the ideal room temperature

·         Adjust lighting according to the time of day

·         Donate unwanted supplies and reduce clutter

·         Light a candle, play music, or listen to inspirational content

·         Take the plunge and purchase that new chair, easel, or table you’ve been wanting
 

Reinstitute the WIP mindset—Keep WIP’s in plain sight. A constant reminder of the uncompleted painting may trigger forward momentum.

 

Remain positive – Dismiss the ugly stage. Once you’ve established your ideal painting methods, trust the process and outcome, even during the difficult times.

Reach out— If you’re unable to determine what is wrong with your painting, ask for advice from others, including those who do not paint. Post WIP’s on your sites and request comments.

Evaluate supplies— Use optimal supplies and color choices for that piece. Sometimes a new paint color can make all of the difference.

Reduce your focus— With larger paintings, try to finish small sections at a time. In early stages, you may want to focus on one layer at a time. Allow oils to thoroughly dry in between layers to prevent forming mud.

Set a time limit – Although it is necessary to take breaks from complex paintings, too much time in between sessions may completely derail your creativity. You may forget color mixing formulas and techniques used in specific areas.

There are times when ending a painting altogether is the best option. Realize the difference between a good start and a hopeless waste of time. And on a musical note, “Know when to walk away and know when to run”  (Kenny Rogers)

Thanks for following along ~Eve 



Carousel Painting Progress

After

 

Before



Here is this continued progress of my carousel painting. I made several changes in color and detail over the past several weeks, attempting to create a higher level of contrast within the main horse. Below are some thought processes I used for specific areas.

Color choices

The moon went from light blue to bright red with a navy outline.  Other options were to paint the flower red and leave the moon blue, but then I would need to change the red tones in the bridle, because there would be too much of the same color in that area. (…what?) Now there is somewhat of a triangle of red formed between the ear, bridle, and moon. Decisions, decisions.

Whether you’re working from life or photographs, determining color choices is a matter of opinion and in my mind, it’s about flow and harmony. Sometimes you just have to put something down and tweak it later to your liking.

Outlining, highlights, and selective detailing

Outlining sections of the horse give them more dimensions, while highlighting areas of the neck, nose, and chin help to create a subtle transition from light to dark.

 

In regards to the pole nearest the mane, I darkened tones to the left side and further defined the handrail. It now appears more rounded and contains more detail than the others.

Background and surrounding elements

Obscuring the background or surrounding elements is another method of bringing attention to the main subject. In this case, the smaller carousel horses are a muted purplish-gray tone, avoiding application of the lightest colors, as seen in the main horse.  (See prior post)

Adding contrast, strategic details, and manipulating the background are ways to draw attention to the main subject, no matter where it is located on the canvas. Put on your Columbo coat every once in a while and really examine paintings. Notice how often even impressionist painters will add detail in specific areas or alter the colors slightly. Just plain trickery... in a fun way. 

Who knows how long this is going to drag out, but thanks for following along!

Tole Painting

      Are we there yet?
 

 

Painting poles is nothing more than applying paint in a series of layers. I begin with three coats of raw umber and allow it to dry. Next, I will add a combination of yellow and white to the center. On either side, I select colors in the medium tonal range and blend the two until the transitions appear smooth.

 

 

After this layer is dry, I will paint white horizontal lines, forming the pole grooves. Then I use a combination of burnt sienna and various tones of yellow to decrease their prominence. It is a fairly mundane process. Blending, shading, and reapplying….

 

One evening, Mom walked through the door holding a dark wooden board and set it on the kitchen table. She called us girls over to look at it and I thought, “Wow, my mom is the best artist in South Dakota!”.  My sister and I were so excited and Mom was beaming.  On top of the plank she painted the most exquisite patch of strawberries I‘d seen in all my eleven years. The berries were a bright red color in one area, pale pink in another, and deep purple on the far side, blended until smooth and creamy. To top it off, she used the tiniest dashes of white paint to form the seeds, and the berries appeared as if they were glistening.

For several months, Mom brought home more artwork and I was always eager to see the new pieces. She explained what she learned following each class, and at the end of her course we had an assortment of mushrooms, pears, and fruit basket tole paintings proudly decorating our kitchen walls.
 

Mom did not express an interest in painting before or after that. Nevertheless, she tried something different and in my young mind, she was brave and adventurous. That was and still is… her inspiring way.