Friday, 1 June 2018

#337 'Dune' 12x16" & Surrey Open Studios!


My first attempt at a portrait!! I haven't even tried to paint one in my studio, just felt quite scary and uncertain, so went on a ROI painting day at The Mall Galleries to make me do it! 

 I decided to act as if.... pretend I felt confident even though I didn't and put the paint down in strong marks and leave them.
I had dipped into an excellent little book before I went called 'Starting to Paint Portraits' by Barnard Dunstan. Its really useful and written in a friendly old fashioned manor.

 I premixed my colours before I started like I'd do a plein air landscape. Having a bigger board means the head isn't too small or fiddly, a large area to cover though!

 I started with her hair the darkest area, Ultramarine & Burnt Sienna, warmer and cooler patches through it. Then the most intense area - her cheek. I worked outwards from there comparing areas to the intensity and tone of her cheek. 
I put the background next to her skin as soon as I could as its a large area and didn't want to leave it till the last!

 I am happy with the result and its encouraged me to try more :-)
You are invited to our Open Studios based in Haslemere Surrey UK. 
If you follow me on here you will know I have a lot of new paintings! Over a 100 to show, so if you are local and have the time it would be great to see you!

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4 comments:

  1. ebbybow2 June 2018 at 11:23

    An amazing first attempt. Strong colours and tones and perfect proportion of body to head and of portrait to board size.

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  2. Caroline Greene3 June 2018 at 10:07

    Exciting and challenging to push yourself to not only try something new, but also at the Mall Galleries AND with the ROI! Sometimes I think that can help, don't you, throwing yourself into the deep end - oddly it can quite be liberating - you will be pleased no matter what the outcome, because you were brave enough to have a go. NOT that this outcome isn't fantastic, I hasten to add. I can picture her strong, graceful posture, and you have given her form, recession, I could go on! Bravo Clare!

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  3. Nick O-B3 June 2018 at 17:06

    Brilliant. Well done!

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  4. Unknown5 June 2018 at 14:44

    Well done Clare, I am always fascinated by portraiture and I greatly admire your colour choices and the confidence of your brush strokes. It is not easy and I think you have caught the personality of the model, she looks like a very determined kind of person.

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