'The letter' is finished

At last. Well nearly. I'll just put a bit of depth in the flat chair back. But I've had enough for just now. Glass of wine called for.
I got a brilliant bit of advice for free. Regarding the eye highlight. I've been painting for too many years to remember and have always blobbed the eye highlight. The advice was 'pick up a touch of white on the tip of a needle'. It worked a treat.
OK you will all tell me that you've been doing this for years. But I'm like a kid with a new toy. Hooray. Yips. Jumping round the room.
I think, and hope, the picture tells the story.

Jack

I love this painting more and more, every time I see it. It's perfect!!

I hadn't heard of using a needle to mark the eye highlight, but I had heard of painting your name with a safety pin. Apparently, if you hold the safety pin at the circle, between your index finger and thumb, you have a lot more control over it than you would a straight pin.

Thanks for the info and I'm happy about learning your idea, too.

Thank you Crystal1

Jack, Your painting looks great! What a great tip! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks Janet. I'm now feeling a bit distant from oils at the moment. So I'm going to make a serious effort at acrylicking. Past endeavours have in the main been disastrous. So might go on a course.
But, gotta keep painting and enjoying.

Jack

Congrats on another successful painting!

I think there are several acrylic painters among us here, so don't go away!
Check out this sub-forum - Janet has a very nice Renoir demo in acrylics here:
https://watersolubleoils.forumotion.com/water-mixable-mix-up-f14/

Jack, I get the urge to try acrylics again on and off. The no rules thing is the great thing about acrylics. I'm looking forward to seeing your painting.

JUST BOUGHT MYSELF SOME NEW ACRYLICS. THEY COME WITH A WATER SPRAYER AND SOMETHING WHICH IS CALLED 'UNLOCK'. EVIDENTLY THESE NEW ONES ENABLE ME TO WORK WITH ACRYLICS JUST LIKE OILS AS YOU CAN STOP THEM DRYING OUT.
FINGERS CROSSED. MIGHT BE A TAD UNPOPULAR IF I GO TO A CLASS AND PEOPLE START GETING WET. NEVER BEEN BANNED FROM AN ART CLASS BEFORE. NOTHING LIKE A FIRST.
I DID FIDDLE ROUND A BIT MORE WITH 'LETTER'. DIDN'T LIKE HER PINK SHOES SO THEY'RE NOW BLACK.
IT'S NOW DRYING AND I WILL RETOUCH VARNISH IT IN A WEEK'S TIME AND STICK IT IN A FRAME. I THINK IT'S DECENT ENOUGH TO PUT IN A SHOW.

JACK

That sound wonderful Jack! What brand is it? I'm looking forward to hearing more about it.

I think it's these, Janet:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/chroma-atelier-interactive-professional-artists-acrylics/

I've heard so much about Golden Open, but have yet to hear from anyone using these.
Jack - You should start a thread in the Water-Mixable Mix-Up sub forum to report on your experience with these

Hi Janet and Callie. Yes it's Atelier Interactive and you can see a demo if you contact www.chromaonline.com/products/atelier_interactive.
They look jolly splendid, but, will they perform. Or, alternatively can I perform with them?

Jack

Step away from the canvas Jack! Your painting looks wonderful - it'll be great in a show.

Thank you Sofie

I agree with Sofie! Their is such a thing a overworking a painting and I also thing it will do great in a show.

Thank you Janet. You are quite right. I think the thing to do is to hide the painting rather than leaving it on display in the studio. Cos we got a glass door leading from the kitchen to the studio and I see the paintings regularly.

Jack

Kopo,

The painting turned out beautifully. You threw me for a minute with the new title, but it fits it perfectly and definitely explains her expression.

Great idea about the needle. Thanks

Judy

Callie wrote:

I think it's these, Janet:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/chroma-atelier-interactive-professional-artists-acrylics/

I've heard so much about Golden Open, but have yet to hear from anyone using these.
Jack - You should start a thread in the Water-Mixable Mix-Up sub forum to report on your experience with these

I've just only recently tried these Interactive Acrylics. They take some getting used to (well at least for me since I haven't been painted long). I had troubles with spots while spraying water on the paint with their mister bottle. And using too much caused me to pull away all of the paint revealing the canvas. But I am using stiffer bristle brushes so a softer brush might work better. I'm sure more talented painters like Jack will have no trouble and I still plan on using them to get the feel for them.

Wonderful painting Jack.

Thank you Judy and mes2370.
It's astonishing how an obvious thing like the needle becomes obvious after years of blobbing a highlight in the eye.
Mes I think you might be holding the mister a little too close to the painting, or, get that needle out and try cleaning the spray hole.
Best wishes
Jack

kopo wrote:

Thank you Judy and mes2370.
It's astonishing how an obvious thing like the needle becomes obvious after years of blobbing a highlight in the eye.
Mes I think you might be holding the mister a little too close to the painting, or, get that needle out and try cleaning the spray hole.
Best wishes
Jack

Thanks for the info. I'll keep at it

Still wasn't satisfied. I decided not to touch it with a brush, but instead became a surgeon and used a scalpel. It is now no longer a narrative painting but more of a portrait. Here is the finally finished work and I'm entering it in a show coming up in July.

Jack, I love the changes you've made! The variation of cool and warm colors in the seat is a wonderful idea. The shoes look great!

What a difference a day makes! I would be afraid to do this with a painting that turned out as well as yours did, but I like it. I like it a lot.
Dayle

Thank you Janet and Dayle.


Jack

It is now definitely finished. I turned the painting to the wall, and, cos it was too hot to work with my new acrylics, turned it back again and decided I didn't like what was behind the chair so that's now gone.
I'm now entering it as it is no more changes into an art exhibition in a neighbouring town. Fingers crossed.

Good idea to eliminate the stuff behind the chair. Looking at your previous painting I see that it it was distracting. Good going and good luck with the art exhibition.