One other portray in my Gallery Goers collection is finished! It’s such an awesome feeling if you assume a portray is completed.
However then I got here again a couple of days later. One thing wasn’t fairly proper. I hadn’t observed 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 way of the portray.
It was one I began as a demo on the Peninsula Gallery.
Right here’s the reference photograph 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 lady it.
Then, if you realize me, you realize what comes subsequent! Thumbnails! You’ll be able to see that I attempted a few completely different variations however in the long run, 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 concerning Klimt’s portray. I didn’t wish to use greys so I created a cooled greyed look as an alternative
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 residence, 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 seems to be lots older than the lady in Klimt’s portray however at this level, I let that go. It’s laborious sufficient attempting 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 large sticks of pastels!
The portray is completed! Yay!
Not so quick Gail…
A couple of days later I got here again and observed what I hadn’t seen earlier than.
The sunshine half within the portray of Gertrud seemed virtually prefer it was the color of the wall coming by way of. And it drew an excessive amount of consideration! What I’d accomplished, I realised, was close to the top of the portray session, I’d gone in and added the sunshine half with extra strain to make a denser gentle alongside Gertrud’s costume. Argh!
The difficult factor with figures is {that a} face will all the time name consideration to itself. My activity as an artist is to ensure 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 obtained 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 sides of the costume.
All very delicate modifications however I feel (hope!) for the most effective!
Right here’s the ultimate portray.
Listed here are the 2 variations side-by-side. Very delicate modifications however I feel the time spent fixing what I noticed as an issue was useful in the long run.
And listed below are the 9 pastels I used.
And listed below are two close-ups – one among 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 tough factor figuring out when a portray is completed, and when to name it quits. It’s simple to overwork! I’ll go away that dialog for a future weblog put up.
I’d love to listen to your ideas! Was this useful? Did you see the issue once 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.