A Portrait of my Wife, A WIP of Sorts (Finished!)

[larsnip]

This is one of the pieces I’m working on now .
Its 16” x 25” cp on Strathmore Series 500 Illustration Board, Vellum Finish
I’m Using both Prismas and Polychromos
I think I’m going to call it “Sedona Smile” I’m not sure yet.
The purpose of this portrait is to be used as an example for Portrait commissions, so I’m making it clear and bright, I don’t want to get to wild with color, but I really see the potential for it when I start working on her head and hair, I may not be able to control myself. I just started working on the Jacket last night.
Its based on a Photo I took of my Wife in Sedona, AZ the morning before we got Married.


Dave

[caulfield]

Ah, my first post & it had to be on your thread Dave, because I am just so happy to see your work again. :clap:

Your background is beautiful. It really brings me back to Sedona - the arch and the sun shining through it, lovely. I'm a bit worried that her neck looks a little long. Do you have your reference handy

:) Nicole

[Bob Ebdon]

Is she younger or older than the last portrait we saw Dave? The hair is very different - but she is just as purty! I love this already, Van gogh background, the light on the denim - wonderful. Lookin and learnin. And Hi Nicole:bye1:

[larsnip]

Hello Nicole :bye1: Thank you. I am honored to be your first post :D My Wife has a very long neck, I think once I'm done rendering that part of her it won't look as long, but I will check it out

Bob- Thanks!-The Photo was taken 11 years ago, but she pretty much looks the same, her hair was shorter and curlier then though

[Brenda]

This is a great background, Dave! I can't wait to see how you pull it all together. I always learn from your work.

[Norma69]

Well - talk about backgrounds, yep, I'm going to have to get on mine - won't be near as detailed - of course . But I love this one already !

I had a long neck like your wife's years ago - I didn't like mine but I sure admire hers - a very good looking lady! May I ask the colors you used to form her face?
Did you bring it this far before you started the background?

I know questions, questions, but it's like a smorg in here with all you experts.:D

Norma

[larsnip]

Thanks Guys!
Norma-the colors in her face are just plain orange and dark brown Color erase Pencils. When I do portraits I draw them around three times, once on cheap paper, then I put traceing paper over it and kind of trace and adjust on the tracing paper, then I transfer very lightly with graphite onto the Illustration board, then I redraw on the board with Color erase Pencils, then I do the final rendering with CP.

Dave

[Norma69]

Thanks DAve! Great information to have - I used colour erase for the first time on my last post.
Norma

[Arlene]

dave i too love the background and the portrait except i'd like to see the bushes not quite so strong in color as it is making them appear to come forward and be on the same plane as your wife. by toning it down just a bit, she'll pop and feel like she's truly in front.

of course I'm sure it's just cause you're not done yet. :)

[Arlene]

ok i was looking at this and felt i might like it this way too...this way makes the composition more geometric in feeling. what do you think?

[Jazz]

Oh Dave I am definitely sitting in on this, your work is always exciting and marvellous!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

I love the background and as someone else noted the light on her jacket, just wonderful!!

I am really looking forward to seeing this take shape, I hope you dont hold yourself back too much with regards the colour, I admire your use of colour so much -it is how I want to work :) .


Huge hugs,


ALI

[larsnip]

Thanks Guys!

Arlene- Believe me, when I render her head, it will come forward and the shrubs will move back. I want high color saturation in this, thats what I'm trying to achieve.

As for the composition, I played with it quite a bit and decided I needed the larger Sunlit wall in the upper left to balance it out, I think it kind of works off the Jackets shape and area.


Dave

[vltz]

:) Yay! I love watching your WIPs!
V

[Genine]

Dave, great as usual. Your use of color is always so strong, exicitng and it works very well. I hope to become braver to use more intense colors as you have done. I find that I'm attracted to it very much.

Your wife has beautiful teeth...I know that sounds strange. I hate mine so I always notice everybody's teeth. Anyway, she has one earring but I cannot see the other earring. Don't know if it's just me or if that's her style...just thought I'd mention it.

Great job.

[Gemma]

Hey Dave,

This is going to be fun to watch. I love your choice in colors on this one so far. I'm watching and learning too!

Gemma

[Meisie]

Pulling up my chair too! :D

Meisie

[larsnip]

Thanks! Meisie, Gemma and Genine

Genine- yes, my wife does have beautiful teeth, and she is wearing two earrings, the left one got erased for the moment :)


Dave

[Genine]

Oh, thank goodness...thought I was losin my marbles...well that may still be true at least I know for sure now! :D

[larsnip]

Well, here's an update, I finished the coat and getting ready to start her head

[larsnip]

I've started to render her head, I'm using alot of orange and yellow in the shadows, but I don't know if it shows up in in this digipic, I'm starting to and some purple and red also, Her hair will be a bright coppery red, It will change the whole look of this when I'm done, I hope it will pull it together



Dave

[Bill C]

really coming along Dave, love the shadows!

[caulfield]

Looking good! I love the shadows too along with the strong light effect you have already.

Nicole

[JudyakaPinky]

Hi Dave,

Love your sense of dramatic lighting... always says "Dave did this one" to me.

:D

[larsnip]

Here’s another update, I’ve started to render the hair. I think the red hair pulls the whole thing together, working off the color in the arch in the background and the small patches behind the shrubs (Notice how I’ve left a halo of white around her hair so I can add in errant strands of hair, if I want to). All the while I’m making micro adjustments to her face. Those adjustments can make all the world on portraits.
Also notice how the background has moved way back, Arlene ;)
The next update will be the finished drawing.

Dave

[Dee]

Wow Dave..this is really coming together. :clap:

You seem to be using 'normal' colors for the skin tones. ;)

What colors have you used?

Love her hair!!

[Brenda]

When you first showed us the background, I have to admit I wondered how in the world you were ever going to push it back so your subject came forward. You told us with all the confidance in the world that it would be alright. Wow, were you ever right!

I always enjoy your work so much and this is no exception. I love her hair!

[larsnip]

Thanks Everyone!

Dee- I am doing this as an example to hopefully get some commissions, so I don't want to get to wild :rolleyes:
So far Ive used
White (both prisma and polychromo)
Cloud Blue
Deco orange
Deco peach
Dark Umber
Burnt Ochre
Cream ( both prisma and polychromo)
Dark Indigo

Dave

[Dee]

Thanks Everyone!

Dee- I am doing this as an example to hopefully get some commissions, so I don't want to get to wild :rolleyes:
So far Ive used
White (both prisma and polychromo)
Cloud Blue
Deco orange
Deco peach
Dark Umber
Burnt Ochre
Cream ( both prisma and polychromo)
Dark Indigo

Dave

Thanks for the list of colors Dave,

Very subdued..for you. :)

[larsnip]

Well, Here it is Finished.
For some reason in the upload she appears to be alittle "toothy" but in the original she doesn't look that way to be
Oh well
Thanks for looking


Dave

[Lahree]

I don't know how I missed this one! I sure came in on it at the end! Brother!

Anyway....I love it! I always admire your work! i love your color choices and skill and the mood and tone of your drawings. Wonderful!! :clap: :clap:

[larsnip]

Thanks Lahree!! Better late than never :D


Dave

[Belinda]

looks fabulous dave, i love the style the colour everything, i bought a couple of books recently on composition etc.... and they mention one way to plan your drawing is to have strong complimentary contrast colours at your center of interest, which correct me if i am wrong but its exactly what you have done !!! :)

absolutely fab !!!!

[larsnip]

looks fabulous dave, i love the style the colour everything, i bought a couple of books recently on composition etc.... and they mention one way to plan your drawing is to have strong complimentary contrast colours at your center of interest, which correct me if i am wrong but its exactly what you have done !!! :)

absolutely fab !!!!

Thanks Belinda!!!

absolutely!! Using complimentary Contrast also creates a sense of depth . I also use the Warm/Cool contrast thingy :p for depth

Dave

[Dee]

This came out wonderful, Dave.

I bet your wife loves it. :)

[Gemma]

Very Nice Dave! I like the way the shadows from her hair reflect on her face. Well done!
Gemma

[larsnip]

Thanks Dee and Gemma !!!

Gemma- Really those shadows were the whole reason I did the drawing, Its what attracted me to this Image in the first place.


Dave

[Jazz]

Another beautiful piece that shouts 'Dave' :) ,

I love the shadows on her face too, very interesting -I also love the colour of her hair contrasting with the shrubs, Beautiful work.

If this doesn't get you commissions for portraits then nothing will, Gorgeous!! :clap: :clap: :clap:


Huge hugs,


ALI

[larsnip]

Thanks Ali!!!
I am really pleased with this one, the upload really doesn't do it justice. Its pretty big 16" x 25" so a little Image on the computer really leaves alot to be desired
Oh well :rolleyes:



Dave

[lene]

Hi Dave
I love the style and did you render that light and shadow brilliant - wow :clap: :bye1:

[Genine]

Dave, I think the complementary contrasts in your portrait is what keeps it all together and makes it work. Wonderful work!!

[one who sees]

beautiful portrait dave..eh..of course wifey too!.. ;)

[Greg]

Dave, I always enjoy your work and this one is just terrific. Great use of color. I've learned alot from lurking on this thread. :clap: :clap:

[caulfield]

Dave - I really love this - the sense of sunlight is just amazing! Just beautifully done!

I do like the crop Arlene suggested earlier in the thread, because I think the tall format makes her neck feel a little longer than it is and I really like the background shapes it makes in the crop. BUT - I know that when it is large and in front of you things look much different!! and that may not be the case in person. :)

Gorgeous!

Nicole

[marilyn h]

This is a wonderful example of hardedge work. Nice rendition! I do wonder that the half circle in the background it competing with her head. Just my 2cents. What do I know about composition!!!!??? Nothing!

Marilyn h

[Arlene]

i too love the way this came out...but i still feel the crop works better so the emphasis is on her and not the heavy massed tree behind her. if this is for portfolio for commissions, the emphasis really should be directly on the person.

[Meisie]

Nice job Dave!

Meisie

[SilverFeather]

Hi Dave! So good to see your work again. It's a great portrait. I can feel the sunshine!

:) Carol

[Judy Caudill]

I love it--especially the way the light plays on her hair and jacket--Dave do you have a website?

[larsnip]

Thanks Everyone!!!!
bobcat79- nice to see ya!!!!

Arlene, Nicole- I understand completely what you are saying about the composition, I struggled with the same crop before I started this thing. But I just couldn't crop it that way, I can't even tell you why :confused: But my instincts seemed to screamed to leave it, and I've learned to stick with them.
If we had this conversation in the planning stage of this my whole approach would have shifted and we would probaly have a different drawing and that would be ok, but I can't change it now
Maybe the problem is I said this was about the "Portrait" It turned out to be more about the sunlight and as much about the background as the foreground so this looks to be balanced to me from that aspect.

Dave

[caulfield]

Thanks Everyone!!!!
bobcat79- nice to see ya!!!!

Arlene, Nicole- I understand completely what you are saying about the composition, I struggled with the same crop before I started this thing. But I just couldn't crop it that way, I can't even tell you why :confused: But my instincts seemed to screamed to leave it, and I've learned to stick with them.
If we had this conversation in the planning stage of this my whole approach would have shifted and we would probaly have a different drawing and that would be ok, but I can't change it now
Maybe the problem is I said this was about the "Portrait" It turned out to be more about the sunlight and as much about the background as the foreground so this looks to be balanced to me from that aspect.

Dave

It IS a great portrait - I wouldn't change it. Just a little comp discussion. Keeps us thinkin'! :bangin: