Friday, February 25, 2011

"By the Bonfire"


This is the portrait that kept me up until two in the morning. I mentioned in my previous post that this was a learning experience. I learned that portrait drawings are incredibly sensitive. The smallest adjustment can make a huge difference in the appearance of the face. How you view the canvas while you paint it can throw off your whole drawing. While I was close to the painting it looked correct, but when I'd step back the drawing was off. I couldn't figure it out, I felt like I was losing my mind! Anyway, I realized this morning that I'd been looking down at the canvas at a slight angle, thereby distorting the image. Essentially what was happening was I was seeing the image artificially foreshortened as I painted it. This portrait is of my daughter by a bonfire on the beach in Pacific Grove.

7 comments:

Diane Minuti said...

Very nice painting. I love the the way you captured so much emotion in this face.

Douglas Clark said...

This painting is handled very nicely. The face has a soft delicate feel to it, totally different from painting the objects in a still life.

Karen d'Angeac Mihm said...

Very nice portrait! I like the loose painting and yet it captures it all!

Unknown said...

I like the way you captured the glow of the fire in the tones of his face and the glow of his eyes. Wonderful painting,Michael!

Linda Popple said...

First of all, your daughter is lovely! She looks mesmerized by the bonfire. You caught such a nice moment.
You're right that a small adjustment can make a difference. I'm attempting to paint some faces and it is amazing what can mess it up or correct what is wrong. But this is really a nice painting. Well done!

Jerry Stocks said...

Your daughter is beautiful and so is the painting.

Michael Chamberlain said...

Thank you all for the kind comments!!