Ok, this is an application of titanium white mixed half and half with clear gel, a transparentizer. I call this the layer of skin. After it is dry, I will model the tones until they look as good as I can get them. The object is not to even every thing out, but to make the transitions between light and dark as natural as possible, thereby creating a realistic looking three dimensional appearance.

As you can see, I have added a little more to the brights. I call them brights because there is light on all the image but in order to capture the likeness we must learn to see the patterns this brighter light makes. We will paint the over all light on the next pass which I may attempt now if the previous layer is dry enough. For now, just note carefully how the sun is shining across her left shoulder and how the three dimensionality of her body is defined by where the light hits.

This pass with brights is where an artist begins to mold the contours of a likeness. The artist must be able to follow the patterns of light and see ahead to what the other layers will do to influence the information as we lay it down. I know that I will need to brighten even more the areas of brightest light. If you are studying these blogs in order to learn portrait painting,I would say this layer could be studied repeatedly. I compare the previous layer to the skeleton and this one to muscle. We don’t want our painting to look flat like the canvas. We want it to utilize the light in order to create the illusion of space and form.

This may not look very good but I have spent two and a half hours simply refining the form. It is important to get all the information as correct as possible. The expression is the main point so that is my focus at the moment. This is the kind of image that people are attracted to so I want to do it well. My next pass will be brights. I just don’t know when I will get back to it.

When ever I insert a photo I can never get this type to load. I had the photo, now it is gone, sorry. I will do my best to get it on here after I type this message. I took this photo quite a few years back and for some reason, right when I have so many others in progress, she jumps out and screams, me first!!! This has happened before and always they always seem to turn out well so I can’t resist. Of course the title says it all. I intend to post every time I work but I must warn you not to expect too much too soon. As I said, I have a lot of things in progress besides teaching at the Community Art Center starting this Wednesday. I hope people enjoy this subject as much as I do and so I am eager to get started. Bruce has a meeting tonight so if my back isn’t hurting too much, I will transfer the image and get started on the modeling of form right away.  I love doing this work and wish I could keep at it for more hours. I do the best I can. I think I have not done so many at one time before. I am trying to find the most productive methods for myself. Let me think; two and three and two more and I just finished two, plus the others that are in the drawing or planning stage. I guess that is enough for now. There is a very special one I hope to have finished for shows this summer, a gift for a relative, and a portrait of my grand daughter that could be fantastic. I just remembered two more that I put back two years ago to work on Plimoth Wife, which I am hoping to sell soon. I am happier with my results and always strive for the best outcome. I will post again when ever I get this transferred to the linen canvas. After that, I can’t promise when will be the next post. Blessings, Diana (now I will try to get the photo back)

Our daughter had a surgery which did not go well.  It required a second surgery and other procedures to save her life.  Then there has been a slow recovery.  I am happy to tell you she is now doing well.  HalleluYah.

I have gotten back to my studio and it feels so good to be painting again.  Sharon asked me if I got bored doing so much art.  My answer was, “I sometimes feel upset to have to take time out to eat and sleep!”

I finished a portrait for my niece, am working on a surprise for another friend, completed a commissioned work, started a landscape and a small botanical, got the sketch ready for my grand daughter’s portrait (fabulous) and a sketch for upcoming class in Westmont, made a list of all things in progress, and got back to work on the double portrait with the girls and their beloved pet.  I’m sure I have forgotten something.

Well, that is all for now.  I want to get in at least two hours before dinner.  Hugs, Diana