That was the description given to the reference photo for this painting. It simply means that her facial features were all as they should be…eyes, nose, mouth, etc. are all where they would normally be. The workshop was about using a photo reference to create a painted portrait.
A 3 day workshop with Janice McCubbin has improved my ability to finish a painting from a photograph. Already, there are masterpieces being generated by Artificial Intelligence. This is not…but it’s a lot more fun. What I learned was how to capture the essence of the portrait photo without making it look like a “photograph.” Making it loose and with a background that is unobtrusive, were among the topics. The goal is to focus the viewers’ eyes on the face. Use of an app (Value Study) to highlight just the 3 or 4 different values in the photograph is useful.
On a 16×16 inch canvas, I was able to capture a more realistic brother Harry. Taking more time to perfect shapes and colors was useful. Doing backgrounds that do not distract or annoy would be good. Not there yet.
This is 8×8 inch canvas board I painted from a photo I took of my oldest brother in 2023 when he was 90 years old. I will complete another portrait using a 16×16 inch canvas. My focus is on correct shapes, colors and values.
I used a photo from a bike ride in Brenham, Texas for this. It is the admin building on the Blinn College campus. I tried to capture the correct colors of the sunlit and shadow scene; some of it is close. And the exercise reminded me that this is not only critical for realism but difficult to accomplish. I have a reminder on my easel “More time on Pallet” to urge a greater effort in mixing correct colors.
This is from a photo I took while visiting an Antigua beach in December 2022.
(In the 2024 BFAL Spring Art Show, this received a 1st Place ribbon in Div. 3.)
While in the Caribbean last December, I snapped a few photographs of a good natured beach-guy. I will follow this charcoal with the same pose done in oil.
This is a quick “study” trying to capture my hero Master Artist and instructor. Huihan Liu. He was carefully setting up a next portrait demo in our workshop. What a privilege to learn from the best!
In a Brenham workshop, I began to learn how to do a Lino-cut print. A simple drawing is placed on a linoleum block. Cutting tools are employed to remove the Lino from all areas that are not to receive a color for printing. I started with black. For red, I carved away all the Lino that was not to receive the ink. Its a complicated process; there is lots to learn.
My third attempt is a simple one color “bird dog.” Still it took lots of carving as you can see in the Lino block.
A few days after being hung at the gallery this painting was purchased. You never know what motivates a purchase. My workshop model was preparing to take a break when I snapped the reference photo.
Version 2 of the model was painted a few months later. When Version 1 was sold at the Gallery and another customer made it known that she also wanted to buy it. I told her that I would paint version 2 and sell it for the same price at the Gallery. I like the improvements made in Version 2.
Geezer Art-a-Facts 