Challenge 3 - Watercolour Portrait

[dianecty]

Maylon, thanks for your kind words.  I am going to try to redo and hopefully improve Imogen. 

Diane

[Renee]

Diane, you finished so quickly! I'm not even close to being done. Not much time. I like the way you have given her those dreamy baby eyes, deep in thought. That over all baby look just like the ones on the label of baby foods. You have the focal point as the mouth, since it outshines the eyes with brightness. If it were me, I would try lifting some of the bright color from the mouth making it softer and lighter, but she is totally kissable like she is. Pretty baby!

[marylka]

Hi Diane,
You are a fast worker, For me the outline on the eye could be softened, as any lines around eye make them appear hard, as Renee mentioned the mouth also could be softened On your painting the left side of the face seams to be missing, my feeling is even though the face is in deep shadow it still needs to be (present ) then the shodow is placed on top ,when you are going to redo, you could e-mail Richard( Susan's husband) to send you a high resolution photo, it will help to get all the elements as it is a dark photo and the shapes hard to see .
You want a dark back ground Alizarin crimson and Phthalo green will give you a dark color best done in several washes rather then one heavy wash.With painting the shirt cover up everything apart from the shirt and paint what you see there, look at shape, color, warm/cool,  tone/value, highlight, shadow in that area.

I would suggest reading through the earlier post on this challenge Susan has described how to paint eye's in great depth and other valuable information that helped us along with the painting.
marylka  

[Kathy B.]

Hi Diane and welcome to this great forum . Your portrait is adorable . You've done a great job on the eyes and also received some good advice from Marylka & Renee and i agree with what they have suggested . I think you will see the biggest difference when you  have softened and lifted  some color from the mouth and also the left side too . All the steps are right here at your fingertips . Keep up the good work . Kathy

[poppycat]

Hello Diane, and welcome to the forum.  I will not make any more suggestion to you for the improvement of of your Imogen painting, as I have not had as much experience as the other members, who have all offered such good advice.  I would love to see this painting again, when you have carried out the advice given.  I think you will be surprised at the difference that just a few additional steps will make.  Susan calls this, her fine tuning, and I have found that it is well worth the time spent.  Nice to have you aboard.  Regards, Patricia.

[Maylon]

I have done even more on this portrait and done a few changes,  added another wash of paynes grey, this time only too the background, I softened the red line on her baby grower,as sugested by Doris (thanks) added a bitmore definition to the pupils and softened the shadow on the right side of her mouth, going to the chin and joining with the (previous)red line, in the thumbnail it looked like she was drooling LOL. The bottom one is the corrected and hope final Imogen
Maylon

[poppycat]

Helol Maylon, And congratulation, you got it, it is just PERFECT, very well done, I love it.  Regards, Patricia.

[Kathy B.]

Maylon , she is so beautiful . I love what you have done ! Kathy

[Maylon]

Thanks to both of you,
I loved doing Imogen, as I am sure we all did.
Lovely little girl for sure
Maylon

[Renee]

Maylon, Your Imogene is so pretty! 

[shameless]

Maylon,
She is simply stunning!
This is a jaw-dropper.
Amazed by your talent,
Judy

[Maylon]

Thanks Judy for that lovely comment, but it is ALL Susan`s wonderful suggestions, let us see if I can even come close on my own. I do appreciate your comment though very sweet, just shows how lucky we all are to have found this board, and the very generous and incredible advice given here. I sure appreciate it,  and hope I can go on and achieve this on my own, LOL We will see...............
Maylon

[gsue2]

I have done even more on this portrait and done a few changes,  added another wash of paynes grey, this time only too the background, I softened the red line on her baby grower,as sugested by Doris (thanks) added a bitmore definition to the pupils and softened the shadow on the right side of her mouth, going to the chin and joining with the (previous)red line, in the thumbnail it looked like she was drooling LOL. The bottom one is the corrected and hope final Imogen
Maylon

Dear Maylon,
Superb! She looks ready to kiss and cuddle. Lovely effort. So happy for you.
Glenda

[dianecty]

Hi everyone!  I am ready now to paint another Imogen.  How do I email Richard to get a higher resolution version of the picture? 

Thanks!

[Renee]

Hi everyone!  I am ready now to paint another Imogen.  How do I email Richard to get a higher resolution version of the picture? 

Thanks!

At Susan's website, you can reach Richard at the same email you would email Susan. He helps her go through her enormous emails frequently.