Hello Steemians,
today I'd like to share my procces of creating oil portrait. The size is 33x43 cm, support is Belgian oil primed linen, finest grain. It was a commission so likeness was one of the main concerns for me. That's why I was concentrated on preliminary drawing with raw umber more than I usually do while doing studies or sketches:
After I've reached some satisfaction with the likeness I left it to dry for a short time. When surface is dry enough I started to paint the first, block-in, layer, thinking mostly about big shapes and average colors:
My pallete for this painting was: Titanium White, Yellow Brown, Transparent Oxide Red, Sennellier Red, Permanent Alizarin, Raw Umber, Ultramarin Blue and Ivory Black
Gradually from top to the bottom I fill the shapes with appropriate complexion colors. This stage is most time consuming but I really enjoy it - you see how slowly something looking rather like a zombie reanimating on the canvas and starting to look more like someone alive
When the first level of the face is ready I suggest the background with broad strokes and leave it to dry. Here is the end of Day 1 stage:
Few days later I brought this portrait back to easel. First, I've realized that background is bothering me so I went further with it. When background was better for me I continued with the face - gently I was trying to refine as fine as possible forms and shapes. This day I spent less than one hour on this painting.
Final day - retouching, refinement and fiddling with background
After introducing some temperature shifts here and there and working more on the eyes it seems I can call it finished, or, at least pre-finished :) You never know... Will varnish and sign it in a few days, pack and send this portrait to client.
Hope you dig it!
So inspiring! I'm right at the start of learning how to oil paint and I really enjoyed seeing how you took it from the very first stages of the underpainting all the way through to being finished. I think the biggest thing I learned from your post is how much detail it is possible to bring into that first colour layer when you're layering in the shapes... I think I need to be following your lead and seeing this step as bringing the "zombie to life" - and then using the following stages to refine smaller shapes and colours.
It's a truly beautiful portrait, and I bet your client must be thrilled. Thanks for such a great post, and I'm really looking forward to following more of your painting posts on here now that I found you by following Curie to your page (congratulations on the vote by the way!)
E x
Happy you have found this post helpful @eveningart ! From time to time I will try to make more comprehensive posts with focus on different aspects of painting process so stay tuned!
Marvelous
the lightning on the face is so soothing for the eyes...
Hi, congratz, you are now listed on the Steemians directory (https://www.steemiandir.com/) You can read more about this initiative here: https://steemit.com/steemit/@anonyvoter/new-selections-of-august-9-2018 If you like this project it would be great if you could resteem the post to make more people aware of it.
If you don’t want to be listed just leave me a comment and I will delete your profile from the website. Thank you very much for reading and I’m looking forward to your feedback!
PS: I’m NOT a bot so… I’m really looking forward to your feedback 😊
Thank you for listing me!
Pleasure mine!
Your art is just lovely, nice!
thank you, Paula!
among the piles of rubbish is really something worthwhile
very kind of you, thanks!!
Beautifully done and thank you for the progress pics. I opened them in the viewer to watch the progression. This was very interesting to see. Do you work from a photo for this? She surely looks realistic, so I am sure your client was happy. If she was wearing a feathered neckline, even better!
Congrats on your curie vote. This detailed post certainly deserves it.
Thank you! Yes, this painting was done from the photo I've done by myself. She was wearing rather mundane t-shirt, it's why I chose to alter the costume and made it up in loosely way.
Well, it is just beautiful and I wish I had a blouse like you imagined :)
Fabulous. Love the neck. You work so quickly! If you're not careful you'll become rich and well known. Thanks for showing the stages. Most helpful, especially the beginning.
Thanks mate, glad you find it helpful! :)
Hi arthurgain,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Cool, thanks!!
Really good work man!!!! Wonderful
Thank you, Caroline!!
Absolutely stunning, @arthurgain ! Your understanding on tone and colour and form produces an absolutely radiant portrait <3 An incredible painting <3 I love it !
Happy you liked it @veryspider! Thank you
Incredible!!this is amazing i really admire how you gave such a strong emotion in the women's face. The background of white make me think of angel wings it looks very nice.
thank you so much! I am really happy you recognized the wings there
You are a master! The portrait is so life like! I really enjoyed seeing the different stages - a little mini art lesson. That is quite something when you make you zombies come to life! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!! Proud my post regarded as an art lesson!
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STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
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STOPGreat process shots! I love how you described it, that the life comes out from out of it, as if transforming a zombie back into a living being ;p
Have you considered combining these images into a gif, a moving image? I have seen this site but there are others. Thank you for sharing your charge with us here on Steem, we love to see what you are up to :)
It's a nice piece. Hope the client will be I spied. Because those colours are well arrange.
I loved the bringing out of the bright face, from top head to the neck, a part at a time, and placing it on a somehow dark background.
It appears like a real photograph