One other portray in my Gallery Goers sequence is completed! It’s such an awesome feeling if you suppose a portray is completed.
However then I got here again a number of days later. One thing wasn’t fairly proper. I hadn’t seen it whereas engaged on the piece – too near it bodily, mentally, and emotionally. I wanted a while away for the issue to leap out at me.
Earlier than we get to the problem, let’s take a look on the development by means of the portray.
It was one I began as a demo on the Peninsula Gallery.
Right here’s the reference picture that I took at an exhibition of Gustav Klimt’s work on the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. It’s of Klimt’s “Portrait of Gertrud Loew.” I made a decision to go away out the person to the left and focus on the Klimt portray and its relationship to the girl it.
Then, if you already know me, you already know what comes subsequent! Thumbnails! You may see that I attempted a few completely different variations however ultimately, I preferred the viewer overlapping the portray.
I drew up the piece in a purple pastel pencil after which went over the determine of Gertrud with an HB pencil.
Then come the primary layers in darkish, center, and lightweight. You’ll see that I took liberties with color accuracy relating to Klimt’s portray. I didn’t need to use greys so I created a cooled greyed look as a substitute
A second layer has begun however actually, I didn’t get very far whereas on the gallery – an excessive amount of chatting and having enjoyable!
At dwelling, I began so as to add extra pastel and fine-tune all of the components particularly the Klimt portray of Gertrud.
I knew that Gertrud in my portray appears loads older than the girl in Klimt’s portray however at this level, I let that go. It’s arduous sufficient making an attempt to breed an oil portray in pastels, particularly on the measurement I’m doing (12 x 8 in approx) not to mention get the face correct with huge sticks of pastels!
The portray is completed! Yay!
Not so quick Gail…
A number of days later I got here again and seen what I hadn’t seen earlier than.
The sunshine half within the portray of Gertrud regarded virtually prefer it was the color of the wall coming by means of. And it drew an excessive amount of consideration! What I’d carried out, I realised, was close to the tip of the portray session, I’d gone in and added the sunshine half with extra stress to make a denser gentle alongside Gertrud’s gown. Argh!
The difficult factor with figures is {that a} face will all the time name consideration to itself. My process as an artist is to verify the attention of the viewer of my portray travels all through and didn’t get caught on the face. I try this by worth modifications, color accents, and edge hardness or softness. Usually, I feel I bought that each one working however this newly found drawback wanted to be attended to earlier than I might name the portray completed!
So I went about cooling the wall alongside the portray and greying the sunshine areas within the portray alongside the determine. I additionally softened the perimeters of the gown.
All very delicate modifications however I feel (hope!) for one of the best!
Right here’s the ultimate portray.
Listed below are the 2 variations side-by-side. Very delicate modifications however I feel the time spent fixing what I noticed as an issue was helpful ultimately.
And listed here are the 9 pastels I used.
And listed here are two close-ups – considered one of Gertrud’s face and the opposite of her robe and hand and a little bit of the viewer.
I hope you agree that my portray is completed, lastly. It’s a difficult factor realizing when a portray is completed, and when to name it quits. It’s straightforward to overwork! I’ll go away that dialog for a future weblog publish.
I’d love to listen to your ideas! Was this beneficial? Did you see the issue after I pointed it out? Do go away a remark and let me know!
Till subsequent time,
Gail
PS. The portray by Gustav Klimt got here to public sale in 2015. Sotheby’s put collectively this brief video about it.