Friday, February 19, 2021

BLAME IT ON LAURA!

 


I’m blaming Laura Starrett for making me want to try portraits again.  I just don’t have the light touch and the eyes are always too outlined and dark - and I can find lots wrong with this but...it’s practice and I never practice portraits enough to get really good at it.  Wish I could paint them like Laura does - she has a light touch and I have a heavy touch (and how does Ted Nuttall do his splotchy portraits? - would like to try that but not sure how that works with just circles of color dropped in to make the shapes).  

Oh, well...another one or two to come - just practice and more brush miles...this one is about 1/4 sheet Arches 140# cold press.  Arches and Fabriano are still my favorite papers. 

3 comments:

laura said...

Ha. I'll take the blame (and thanks for the nice comments about my recent portraits!)
Nice colors, and beautiful work on the lips!
I am finding that strong lighting that really defines the planes of the face helps me see how to model it.
I took a workshop with Ted Nuttal years ago (6? 7?): never learned how to do the "sloppy dots" but I think 75% of his success in lighting the model!

Uli Day said...

I like your touch, I find your portraits quite expressive and real.

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Laura. I don’t often spend time on portraits but admire them so much. Yes, you need that strong lighting to get it right and it helps see the facial planes. I can draw a face better than I can paint it but, again, practice!! ha ha. Sloppy dots = I like that definition of what he does.
Thanks so much for taking the time to send such a nice comment, Uli. I have checked out your blog (briefly) and will return to see what you are doing!