portraits

HCR and the Obamas

~ MaryG ~ 47 Comments

Who are you most inspired by?

I’m really leaning on all the brave people helping those of us who pay attention to the news get through the absolute degradation of our country that is the second Trump administration.

We recently got a huge dose of inspiration from the Obamas, with the opening of the Obama Presidential Center last week. Their speeches (especially Michelle’s) are incredible. Watching the follow-up videos of the Obamas greeting families and reading library books to children are fantastic too.

While I was listening to the Grand Opening Ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center, I worked on a watercolor portrait of Heather Cox Richardson that I had started a few weeks ago.

Did you know this mild-mannered American historian gets hate mail and threats for keeping us informed as she does? And yet, she keeps showing up on our small screens and writing her nightly “Letters from an American” which are read by hundreds of thousands (possibly millions) of people each day.

She said her 250 for 250 series is a labor of love for the country she loves. Be sure to watch a few of those short videos, when you get a chance.

This painting actually looks a bit better in person than in the photo. I like how the bookshelves and her pullover came out, but skin tones and face contours are really hard. I do like painting portraits, so I’m going to try to find some YouTube tutorials to practice this summer.

Which inspiring figure should I try to paint next? Should I give Michelle Obama a shot? (I’m actually a bit scared to try her at my current skill level.)

Blizzard painting

~ MaryG ~ 8 Comments

We’re in a blizzard here in Massachusetts. Fortunately the power is still on, but we ain’t going anywhere for a looooong time.

Settling in.

I decided to try painting another portrait (my own) based on a photograph.

Here’s the inspo pic from last fall:

Here my painting:

Portraits are hard! This makes me want to take another class with my teacher from last fall. She was good at portraits, but alas, I have registered for a different (cheaper) class, closer to home, where we will focus on “cute baby farm animals.”

ChatGPT gave me some solid feedback on the portrait though:

Lightly mapping planes (forehead plane, side planes of nose, cheek planes) before committing to color would increase dimensional accuracy.

The biggest difference between the painting and photo is contrast and value structure.

The photo has stronger: Shadow under the brow ridge Shadow on the right side of the face (viewer’s right) Cast shadow under the nose Subtle shadow under the lower lip

In the painting:

Midtones dominate. Shadows aren’t quite dark enough, especially around the eyes and under the cheekbones. This reduces form and depth.

Fix: Push darks 15–20% deeper in:

Eye sockets Side of nose Under cheekbone (viewer’s right side) Neck shadow under chin

That alone would dramatically increase realism.

Biggest Growth Area:

Value structure and form modeling

If you deepen shadows and increase plane awareness, this would jump from a good portrait to a very strong one.

OK, I can take that criticism (nicer than some human art teachers I’ve known) and I agree with it.

Related post:

ChatGPT as Art Teacher

Last Watercolor Class

~ MaryG ~ 10 Comments

Yesterday was the last week of my 8-week class called “Loosen up with Watercolors” at our local (amazing) community arts center.

Against advice from the teacher, I attempted to paint a portrait of someone I know and love: my granddaughter. The reference photo (taken by my daughter) was from last summer when my granddaughter was 9 months old. (She’s walking now!)

I had the idea to use wine bottle webbing in the background for her playpen siding.

I had fun doing this, but I get why the teacher said not to paint family members as a total beginner. You’re too attached to the subject!

I want to learn how to make smooth skin tones, but I was too afraid to experiment on her adorable little face. I will try a stranger again next time, like that random chef from a magazine, which was my first ever watercolor portrait.

I also used those experimental gradients as backgrounds for some giraffe silhouettes. I have always loved giraffes.

I’m definitely glad I took the class. I may sign up for another session. I like the teacher and it gives me some structure to keep at it.

Watercolor Class Week 3: Portraits

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments

Our teacher likes to paint portraits, so we painted portraits today.

She first gave a lesson on creating skin tones. The basic recipe is this: a lot of cad yellow, a little cad red, a spot of cobalt (or ultramarine) and varying amounts of water.

Sometimes a bit of crimson for very pale/pinkish people or a bit of purple for darker people.

She strongly urged us not to try to paint anyone we know and love on our first attempt, so I pulled this Spanish chef out of magazine.

My husband thinks he looks a bit like Dominic West.

Some of the ladies flat out refused to try painting a portrait. They like landscapes. So that’s what they will paint, because retired ladies do what they want! I fully support this.

The teacher also introduced us to a truly amazing watercolor portrait artist named Ali Cavanaugh. Holy shit, this woman is talented.