Friday, December 22, 2006

daily painting practice 114 - portrait progress

click on picture to enlarge the image
Remember this? Back in August I started a portrait of my daughter and son-in law. I have posted progress steps along the way. Now I am 13 days away from having to deliver it as a gift to his parents. I admit I am feeling just a teeny bit of pressure. I thought I would post all the steps again in one place and bring you up to date.




This pose looked too stiff and did not reflect the soft intimacy they share as a young couple.
So I changed the way he was holding her arm. This brought a new set of problems however. At this point I really thought about starting over.
Her hand was too large and his too high on her arm.
click on the picture to enlarge the image

Portrait In Progress
36"x36"
oil on canvas

Here is where I am as of this morning. I painted more with them sitting in front of me to get the flesh tones and colors correct. I have corrected her hands but still need to work a little on his. She has a few hard edges that need to soften or fade to shadow and I will finish the detail in the scarf. As always, I am stuck on what to do with the back ground.... this always haunts me at this point. Wish me luck!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a wonderful portrait! I love seeing the WIP steps. Good call on the hands. His parents are going to flip! .. oh, and I like the simplified background. Don't sweat it. You're doing great!

Anonymous said...

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

This is truly gorgeous. You captured the love! Congratulations.

Anonymous said...

good luck!- but its not needed, this is a beauty already.

Anonymous said...

Lovely picture Peter, I would use the dark browns that you use in your daily paintings to make a soft darker background around the edges to emphasise the saftey, security and loving tenderness that you have captured here.
Happy Christmas to you and yours. Sarah xx