BACK BUTTON

One done....

January 26, 2012, 9:54AM

Need to fix the left eye... but other than that, the portrait is done!

Almost done!

January 24, 2012, 7:46AM

I've been working on these for the past week when I realized that I haven't update the blog! I almost completely repainted everything!
Well, they are almost done. After applying what I re-learned from my skin-tone study, I'm quite happy with the outcome:
The backgrounds have been better realized, the shirts are better rendered, the keyboard and hands are almost complete and everything just comes together a lot better.  Unfortunately my camera-phone doesn't do them justice, and the angle of the light seems to heighten every shadow, they are coming along quite well! I should have them done in the next day or so.


Back to Painting!

-Mat


P.S.
After looking what on the screen and what's on the easel, I can honestly say that the photos look horrible: the subtle colors are gone and the contrast is non-existent. I'll see what I can do for the next update.


I "FORGOT" HOW TO PAINT!!!!

January 11, 2012, 4:24PM

Yup.
You read that correct:

I forgot how to paint.


But don't worry. It's not the "Oh No! My career is Ruined!" its more like "Dear Jeebus! How did I do that again?" Specifically; I forgot how to paint skin tones.

Now, "skin tone" is one of the most over-used and misunderstood statements made. True "skin tone" is made up of thousands (lots of zeros) of different colors, and not just pink! Blues, greens, purples and yellows of varying hues, values and saturation make up these subtle gradations that ultimately make "skin tone"

Another strange thing about "skin tone" is that it is altered based on light conditions. The traditional way of painting portraits in the same light as the sitter means that the colors chosen for "skin tone" will always look like their skin counterpart in any lighting condition.
This is where the disaster strikes...

I've sold all of my portraits from life. As a result I don't have any reference for "skin tone" for the pair of commissioned portraits I'm working on. Since they are based on photographs, I'm having to guess what subtle colors make the skin tone. And since I don't have references lying around, I kinda... sorta... "forgot" which colors were meant for what.

After more than a decade of painting, most of the color making decisions occur almost automatically in the brain: you see a color, you know what to mix to make that color, and you paint that color. If you are working from a photograph for abstract works... its not that important. Colors can be pushed and contrasts tweaked, and indeed whole compositions compromised for the sake of artistic creativity.

In painting a portrait... it's a bit more of a science.

THUS:

I'm taking these couple of days to work on a quick self portrait from a mirror in order to fix my understanding of "skin tone". I'll use the self portrait in order to match colors to those I'll put on the other two portraits to compensate for camera's color processor.

THEREFORE:

I have remedied my dilemma of forgetting how to paint.


Back To Painting!!!

-Mat

Bits and pieces coming together

January 4, 2012, 10:14am

I finished the book and keyboard as well as some work on the background. The colors in the face are also lightened up and I'm using brighter colors to give the sense of light as well as work on making the shadows less severe.

Since I'm working from a photo, the shadows are always the darker than in real life. A camera isn't able to pick up detail in the dark like the human eye can. As a result, I'm doing a lot of research based on work done from life in order to make sure the colors look correct.

Next I'll continue to make the faces curve around more in space, and make the figures merge more harmoniously with the background. 

It sounds like a lot of work, but the result will be amazing!

Back to Painting!


-Mat


January 3, 2012

January 3, 2012, 3:41PM

Well, here are some updates pre-move. I've been picking away at them a little bit since, and I'll post the result thus far later today.

Back to Painting!

-Mat

Happy New Year!

January 2, 2012

Update. Studio now has interwebs, building is in it's last day, and I've been plunking away on my commission portraits (with visual updates to follow today!!!!!)

And to make things just all kinds of awesome, blogger now works on the iPad! Truly a great time to be alive!

Back to Painting!

-Mat