Finished a self portrait today.

[femmedem]

Sorry I've been away for so long! I've been back to work for a while, and it's been busy. But I just finished this little 10x10 oil self-portrait today. This one was to learn how to paint warm shadows and cool lights. I used lemon yellow, permanent alizarin and ultramarine blue with titanium white for the light areas and yellow ochre, cadmium red medium, transparent red oxide, cobalt blue and titanium white for the shadow areas. (I used an ultramarine/transparent red oxide mix for the darkest darks.) It felt so counterintuitive--I'm so used to reaching for alizarin and ultramarine for my darks--but it worked, I think.

It's good to see how much painting you've all been up to.

[link:|

[shenmue]

1. Wow!

Amazing!

[femmedem]

4. Thanks. I've been watching some instructional videos in the evenings with Mr. Femmedem.

It's been helping. My painting has come such a long way in the last year.

[Iliyah]

2. That's lovely . .

[femmedem]

8. Thank you! n/t

[msongs]

3. nice painting. how much does it actually look like u? selfies are difficult nt

[femmedem]

7. The mouth is a little small, but otherwise I think it's a good likeness.

Last edited Mon Sep 21, 2020, 06:53 AM - Edit history (1)

It was tricky to keep the center line and tilt right because I kept shifting from the mirror to the painting. I had to completely repaint one eye that I'd originally painted at the wrong angle. It's still a little off but much better than it was.

[Bayard]

5. The tones are very good

Impressive!

I haven't even had time to do any sketching.

[femmedem]

9. Sorry you haven't been able to carve out any time.

I'm finding now that I only have time on the weekends. But it is the only thing I do that really keeps me focused in the moment and not at least partially thinking about world events. I hope you can find some time, even if it's just a twenty-minute sketch of your hand.

And thank you for the compliment on the tones. Aside from the cool light/warm shadow practice, I was focused on being clear about values. I did a grisaille first and painted color over it.

[redstatebluegirl]

6. Lovely!

[femmedem]

10. Thank you! n/t

[soothsayer]

11. Impressive!

Nicely done. That’s the real deal.

[femmedem]

20. Thanks, Soothsayer.

If you saw some of my paintings from a year, year and a half ago when I started painting again, you'd be surprised by the improvement. When I was younger, I thought painting well was primarily about talent but now I know it's mostly practice and study.

[soothsayer]

21. That's an interesting process and comforting to know one can improve

[Skittles]

12. oh my

I'm not an "certified art person" but to me a portrait is good if you can see character in a face - you nail it

[femmedem]

19. Thanks, Skittles.

That's what I look for in a portrait, too.

[samnsara]

13. i put my oils away ages ago.. i was tired of dog hair in my pallate

...gorgeous painting!!

[femmedem]

18. Ha, I can picture it! I had to make sure mine wasn't anyplace the cats could jump.

And thank you.

[lunatica]

14. You were on my mind a lot

The last time you posted was months ago when the pandemic was really affecting your family. You posted your self portrait with you wearing a mask. You said you hadn’t been able to sleep.

Your paint experimentation worked very well. It’s great when you push yourself to try a new approach and it works! I really like your heavy brushwork and rough texture contrasting with the beautiful softness of the colors. There is body and depth applied to the canvas with your strong brushstrokes which are discernible and bold and adds the extra element to your painting which has value in itself as part of painting. As an artist myself this kind of process is something I look for and love to find because I can see how you painted as well as what you painted. This gives me a gratifying thrill.

Your color palette works perfectly. I love the warm and cool color scheme you chose and the strong light source illuminating your face, hair and throat from the left side of the canvas, which normally would be rather harsh but works really well here because your shadows are very soft too. The lighting looks diffused, glowing and gentle. You painted the background with the lighter part on the shadow side of your body and the darker side on the side your face is being highlighted by the light. This also works to keep the lighting from being too harsh. So the result is a soft and glowing lightness on your face that seems to come from within.

You picked great colors and mixed them to perfection and the result is lovely, a feast for the eyes!

I’m so glad you’re back! I’ve missed you.

[femmedem]

16. Oh thank you, Lunatica. I had a north window to my left so I had soft, consistent light.

Life is feeling more normal again. I live in Connecticut where the infection rate has stayed relatively low after the initial spike, although it's moving up again now. But I'm not laid off anymore, I work alone in the office and can often work from home, and most important, my mom's pneumonia wasn't due to Covid-19. For a while, the hospitalization affected her dementia and it was a while before she could speak, but she is able to say short sentences now, and she seems to understand most of what I say to her, judging by her facial expressions.

I'm still suffering from insomnia and migraines, but less frequently. I've been drinking some calming herbal tea in the evenings and it is helping.

Thank you for such an in-depth and encouraging critique. It is a real kindness to all of us DU artists.

[Ohiogal]

15. Fabulous

You did a great job!

And May I say it’s nice to see you again!

[femmedem]

17. Aw, thank you!

It's good to be back.

[Alliepoo]

22. Omgosh! I love it!

I know nothing about painting except watching Bob Ross but I know when a painting is beautiful and this one is!

[femmedem]

32. Thank you!

For the kind words and for Omgosh! That made me smile.

[No Vested Interest]

23. Beautiful model; beautiful work....

[femmedem]

33. Thank you! eom.

[Laelth]

24. Fantastic. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[femmedem]

34. Thanks, Laelth.

I see a few things now that I might go in and tweak--one of the eyes looks like a Pug's bug-eye to me now--but it is so much better than my previous attempts.

[iluvtennis]

25. Wow, you're so talented - thanks for posting this. nt

[femmedem]

35. Thanks! I don't know if I'm all that talented

but I've been studying and practising a lot this past year.

[LiberalLoner]

26. Wow this is astounding! I am so in awe of your talent!

[femmedem]

36. Thanks so much!

It has everything to do with the online instructional videos I've been watching. I've learned so much from them.

[PWPippinesq]

27. What a lovely self portrait!

I, too, paint in oils and especially enjoyed your color mixtures to achieve your darks and lights. They do work. I'm inspired to get back to my easel.

[pazzyanne]

28. Beautiful treatment of the subject! nt

[femmedem]

37. I hope you do get back to your easel!

I was surprised that there was color harmony when my lights and darks didn't have any pigments in common.

[MLAA]

29. I think it is beautiful.

The cool tones vs the warm ones are beautifully matched/balanced to my eye.
I think your nose and mouth are so well done. I find them both so hard to capture. Your complexion looks alive. The texture and movement of your shirt is gentle but noticeable.

I think you nailed it.

[femmedem]

38. Thanks, MLAA.

They are hard to capture! I worked on the nose until the very end trying to get something that didn't look like a potato with two holes on the bottom.

[sarge43]

30. The beauty that only time can grant. n/t

[femmedem]

39. Thank you! n/t

[Baked Potato]

31. I love your work!

[femmedem]

40. Thank you! n/t

[bif]

41. Very nice!

Such talent!

[femmedem]

42. Thanks, Bif. I hope you know I'm a fan of your work, too. n/t

[bif]

43. The Mutual Admiration Society!

[Grey5]

44. Lovely,

Well done.