Wide Eyes

Wide Eyes
Oil on panel, 8x10

In progress

With this painting, I am putting to use all of the things I have been studying in the portrait and figure workshop this week.  This little darling is my youngest grandson, and I am working from a photo today instead of the real boy.  In the first stage, I have sketched in the lines and placed my darkest darks.  Since I am doing a head and shoulder study, it is more natural for me to paint the eyes first (which is NOT what I learned in the workshop - but just my personal preference).  Once I had the eyes in - I thought it looked pretty creepy on the unpainted surface  - so I took a photo!  It is really why I decided to include my steps!  At the second stage, I have filled out the flesh - marking the warms and cools, which actually look very lifeless on the pale pink wash.  I needed to get some of the surrounding colors in before adding much to the color of the skin.  So much of the color comes from the reflected light from the shirt and other close objects.  I am constantly pushing the temperature of the colors - especially since I am working with a photo.  The colors are so much harder to identify without the live model.  I already see a few things I want to change, but as it is getting late I am going to wait until tomorrow and daylight to finish.  This one makes 425 paintings in 425 days.  We are expecting snow again - and the amounts are widely varied!  I wonder what I'll wake up to!

First strokes