Head study (unfinished)

Head study (20.04.17)

2017

Oil on linen

50 x 40 cm

Painted at the Thursday life sessions, 1.5 hours. There was a spotlight placed lower than the model. In addition to the brightness of the room, it was difficult for me to ascertain the light source, but a very good thing was that it forces me to paint what I see, not from what I know (which always tends to lighten the upper portion of the head). This study is considered unfinished as you can tell the nose and mouth region has some misplaced temperature, and incomplete form description.

Another thing I learned, and will try to apply next time, is the painting of hair. Because the dark of the hair (especially if it is black) will dirty the tones as it comes against the flesh, I should actually lay in a thinner mid-tone rubbing for the hair portions, then paint the flesh into it, noting hard and soft edges. This saves a little time, and also difficulty, in correcting the transitions later. Of course, my brush work still needs more work.