"A Special Day"

A Special Day
12x16 oil

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Comment by Melanie Harbin on September 12, 2010 at 4:46: You are right Ro,.....seeing color can be tricky and the more you learn about it the better you will become. I certainly struggle with it and I also plan to purchase Richard's DVD on color to help me. The face has upward planes, downward planes, turning planes, etc that all need to be examined before you paint. A lot of them will be reflecting something.....the sky, their clothing, their hair, whatever is surrounding them and it is important to pick out these colors correctly. The first color I mix on a portrait is the highlight colors but before I do that I need to know what color the light is and from there I will know whether or not my shadow colors will be warm or cool. Ro, thanks so much for you kind comments!

Comment by Roena King on September 12, 2010 at 3:22: Melanie, I am awwww struck. I just finished a first viewing of Richard's color DVD and there are many exercises of painting cubes and other shapes to teach you to see the different planes of objects and to learn to mix the correct color for that specific area. To me, that is what I think I can see you doing in the face here. I was once told that I had not been trained to see color, so I am so hopeful that the exercises will give me that training. I love this. As you told Peni, "A good portrait should be a little more artsy. Try to find an emotion". I can see that as well as feel the breeze blowing the hair. Excellent work! 5***** Ro

Comment by Melanie Harbin on September 11, 2010 at 4:45: Wow! Peni, where do I send the money? You are too kind! One way to get pictures is to go to a park where there is a fountain. There you should find childred playing...watch for a while and you will be able to locate their parents and then go up to them and ask is you can take the pictures. I have never been turned down. Or go to an outside cafe and take pictures of people drinking coffee, etc. A good trick is to use your wide angle lense and aim your camera at something close to them but also include them in the picture and they will not know you are really shooting them. You can crop the picture on your computer. Or take lots of pics of friends and family.....just don't have them posing and smiling. Take pics of people doing everyday things....those are the best. And yes, it takes all of us many shots to get a good one. I joined a photography club to help me out with this. I got some great shots of kids at fountains. Good luck and let me know how things turn out.

Comment by Peni Baker on September 11, 2010 at 1:23: thank you very much. Do you mean that you would actually go up to people and ask them if you could photograph them. I though of that but I don't beleive I am the greatest photographer in the world. I always have to take a lot of photos before I actually get a good one.
And by the way . . . your portraits are better then any I have seen in my new book. Isn't that cool?

Comment by Melanie Harbin on September 10, 2010 at 17:13: Peni, If I were you I would go out and take my own pictures so you can capture natural light. Painting a portrait where someone has used a flash usually does not make a very good portrait. Of course this is just my opinion. Another tip should you choose to take it: Don't confuse a really good photograph with what could be a really good portrait. A person staring into the camera with a big smile and beautiful teeth can make a lovely picture but does not make a good portrait. A good portrait should be a little more artsy. Try to find an emotion, not a just a smile. I wish you good fortune on your portrait painting and look forward to seeing your work in the near future.

Comment by Peni Baker on September 10, 2010 at 16:38: Excellent, I got my book in so I can practice my paintings portraits.. I'm going to do a few of them on 5" x 5" and
5 " X 6" Nobody is getting back with me though to send me there photos. I have two so far..
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