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 "Almost" Portrait

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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptyFri Apr 04, 2014 8:00 pm

Some time ago I coerced my husband into dressing in his boots, cowboy hat and denim jacket and I took several photos of him. My intent was to paint him from both the rear and from a distance! I don't do human portraits and didn't even want to try with him. He's my best critic but I'd wager he'd be very critical if I painted a full-fledged portrait of him! Anyway, this is gouache on hardboard, 11x14 and it's not quite finished yet as I'm trying to decide on the background (I think trees) and also have to figure out a way to adjust the denim colors without disturbing the current paint layers!

As always, C & C most welcome



Oh, I did attempt another "almost" portrait which I'll post in the pastel area.
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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptyFri Apr 04, 2014 11:47 pm

Wowwwwww!!!! Jan this is gorgeous. Love the denim and the details on the jacket. Love the shadows and the sun. Love the composition and I love the mystery, who is this cowboy and what is he looking at? I like how the field appears so vast, but done in such a small space… good job! I like the open sky. I don't think you should put any trees… but you are the artist… Smile
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 05, 2014 12:23 pm

Thanks so much, Faisal - I needed that Wow after all the failures I've had painting recently! lol

I did try some trees but really don't think they're working - I'm sort of like you and like it without anything but also think there may be too much space to the right.

Another friend suggested cropping it a little but since this is on gessoed hardboard, it wouldn't really be practicable. I could do it but really don't want to!

Maybe I'll just add a cow! NOT!
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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 05, 2014 8:00 pm

Frankly this is really good. Don't add any more objects and it doesn't need cropping. The space to the right gives a sense of vastness of the field (even though it might not be)… This is an extremely beautiful piece. I love how you have handled the light and shadows on the cowboy. It is awesome!
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judyfilarecki
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judyfilarecki


Posts : 2685
Join date : 2009-11-16
Location Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 05, 2014 9:09 pm

I agree with Faisal. Trees would take away from the whole feeling of the painting and the spacing on the right is just right. When a person is looking to the side or back in this case, he needs the room to look. Otherwise the face would feel very crowded. Great job. I love it.

Judy
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySun Apr 06, 2014 10:59 am

Thanks for the feedback, both of you.

I did end up adding some very small, very distant trees (or they could be viewed as mountains) on the (viewer's) right hand side and think it improves the painting. My husband liked it better that way too so I think I'll leave them.

I've finally painted something I'm halfway happy about - maybe I'm getting my mojo back ----

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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySun Apr 06, 2014 11:14 am

I think one problem with being an artist is,… we are never content… and maybe that is a good thing,… because we are always trying to do better than what we did...
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watermixableguy
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watermixableguy


Posts : 972
Join date : 2010-06-11
Location Location : New Brunswick, Atlantic Canada

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptyFri Apr 11, 2014 9:59 am

The posted image looks great. If you don't have a title for it yet, how about
"Upward"
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptyFri Apr 11, 2014 2:10 pm

Thanks, Alan! That title is perfect!
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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 11:22 am

Hi Jan,

What Gouache brand paint do you use? Do you like it better than water color and why?

I would like to take paint when I travel but oil paints can be a little messy and off course turps are not allowed on the plane. I did travel with WSO before, but I am totally out of WSO now. After using the traditional, the WSO don't feel the same…

Thanks

Faisal
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 1:16 pm

ftariqtx wrote:
Hi Jan,

What Gouache brand paint do you use? Do you like it better than water color and why?


Well I started out with Lukas and Turner which were the ones in stock at my "local" (50 miles away) Jerry's Artarama. However, a gouache blogger (Roz Unwound) went on and on about Schminke Horadam gouache and I ordered some and got it just this past week and I really like it. That being said, I don't find there's a tremendous amount of difference in the brands. I just check to make sure I'm getting good light-fastness in whatever brand I'm using. Deborah Secor prefers M. Graham and Ralph Parker prefers the economy of DaVinci so I think you need to just try different brands and see what you like. I think the brand you prefer may be determined by the way you work.

I do like it better than watercolor in some ways - mainly because I'm very heavy-handed with watercolors so figured I may as well use an opaque watercolor to begin with! You can use gouache in a watercolor fashion although it won't be as transparent. Or you can use it somewhat like oil or acrylic but you can't do any kind of impasto work with it (it can crack).

I don't like that you really can't layer with it as you can with oil or acrylic or even watercolor as the previous layer will lift and mix with the new layer. But that can also work to the artist's advantage as you can get some beautiful blending if you're careful. If you aren't careful, you can get pure mud! I just heard that Lukas has come out with a sort of watercolor fixative to help with that but I haven't seen it yet nor tried it but want to at some point.

Hope that helps. I'd advise you to get a cheap gouache set to try before spending a lot of money then get the better brands if you like it. The main difference in the WalMart brands and the artist quality brands is that opacity is achieved with chalk in the cheaper brands while the name brands use more pigment. Winsor and Newton is available at almost any art store but I've heard they aren't much better than the WalMart brands and cost as much as the better brands. I've never used them so can't verify it.

If you have any questions, just ask.
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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 1:30 pm

Wow!…Jan, As always thanks for the detailed response… Smile
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 1:33 pm

You're very welcome. Oh, almost forgot to mention that gouache can go on just about any support or surface. I use it on gessoed hardboard most of the time but it will also go on paper or canvas.

Also, use cheap brushes as it will wear them out sort of quickly.

Have been looking at the watercolor mediums that "waterproof" paint layers when using watercolor or gouache. Schminke has one as does Lukas (the Lukas brand is called shellac soap). Here's a link to some reviews for the Schminke brand:

http://www.dickblick.com/products/schmincke-aqua-fix-medium/#reviews

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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 2:07 pm

Would Gouache go on Gessoed boards?

Thanks

Faisal
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 2:11 pm

Definitely - that's mainly what I use.
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ftariqtx
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ftariqtx


Posts : 1034
Join date : 2011-12-24
Location Location : Dallas, Texas

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySat Apr 12, 2014 2:18 pm

Cool… now I have to try this…. Thanks Jan… Smile
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JanG




Posts : 678
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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySun Apr 13, 2014 6:20 am

Also forgot to mention that since gouache lifts so easily, it will need to be framed with a mat under glass or will have to be varnished.

Varnishing is very controversial since gouache is a watercolor but since I use it on gessoed boards, I prefer to varnish.

I use about 4 coats of a spray varnish that's non-yellowing and contains UV inhibitors. I'm using Golden brand because I already had it but I hear that Krylon also has a comparable product.

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judyfilarecki
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judyfilarecki


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Location Location : Northern NY and Southern Arizona

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptySun Apr 13, 2014 8:51 pm

Thanks for all the info. I always thought of gouache as the thing I use to coverup a mistake I made in the watercolor. I guess there is much more to it.

Judy
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JanG




Posts : 678
Join date : 2012-07-20
Location Location : NC - USA

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PostSubject: Re: "Almost" Portrait   "Almost" Portrait EmptyMon Apr 14, 2014 6:43 am

I think gouache is the best of all the wet mediums as it's so versatile. But it does have it's drawbacks too and can be frustrating.
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