Sunday, April 19, 2015

"Livia in Straw Hat" (oil on stretched canvas; 18" x 14") sold


sold


This spring I started taking a portrait/figure class with Danni Dawson at the Art League School in Alexandria, VA. It is exciting to paint from life, not a photograph, with the immediate feedback from the renowned portrait painter.  I am hugely encouraged by my first attempt, which I am sharing here with some step-by-step photos.


Week 1: I quickly drew the subject in burnt umber and established the light/dark pattern.

Week 1: I started blocking in.

Week 1: I got this far at the end of the first week's session. 

Week 2: The model's gentle smile is beginning to emerge.

Week 2: Many small adjustments later, the painting is almost done.  I realized I made her left shoulder too narrow. After the fixing the error, the subject is now too large for the  canvas.  Next time, I am going to use a larger canvas!

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