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First time post - a monochrome selfie
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Message
Posted
Hello everyone - So I'm new here and would welcome all comments/advice on this my attempt at a monochrome self-portrait in raw umber and titanium white. The paint is still wet and I'm looking to make any tweaks that might improve it. 
I took up oil painting five years ago (I'm now 77) and absolutely love the whole process and 'feel' of painting. I've learned through Youtube and books.
I took up oil painting five years ago (I'm now 77) and absolutely love the whole process and 'feel' of painting. I've learned through Youtube and books. 
Posted
I think YOU should be teaching US, never mind our making suggestions to you. This is a fine piece of work - just check that the eyes are in alignment: without knowing your face, I've no means of knowing whether you've got that right or not (they're certainly not grossly out of line), but faces vary. Similarly, only you can know how close your self-portrait has come to one D. Titmuss.
For a painter with just five years' experience behind him, I think we'd all say this is a great bit of work - come to that, I'd be just as impressed if you have 15 or 50 years behind you. I only started trying portraits in the last few years, some of which have worked better than others (and some didn't work at all) but I can confidently tell you - yours is better than most of mine!
Posted
I Excellent work indeed, particularly for a relative newcomer to painting. Keep at it, a mirror is great for self portrait work, better than working from a flat two-dimensional photo! But you haven’t shared that information with us, so I’m guessing!
As Robert has already alluded to, it’s difficult to tell any likeness for obvious reasons.
The left eye looks a little suspect, and generally, but not always, the upper lip is often in shadow.
Maybe a little more shadow on the right side of the cap, as we look at it.
You’ve presumably worked from a photograph here, but you haven’t said as much. Photos by their very nature tend to be lacking in tonal value… so perhaps a bit more modelling on the face, and don’t be afraid to show brush strokes, it’s a painting, we aren’t trying to replicate a photograph, we already have that, perhaps!
These are my observations, but as you’ve already signed it, I would assume that you have considered it finished!
For an example of extreme brush strokes, and I’m not suggesting that you adopt his style, but have a look at the brilliant portraits of Tim Benson ROI… tremendous passion comes through his art.
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
Thank you so much Robert, Jim and Alan for your generous and insightful comments/observations. It was done from a photo as you suspected which was a blow-up and crop of a full-length shot taken on an iPhone (not good I know - first rule, get a great reference ) when out walking my dog! I've posted the reference here. I was really bothered about the eye alignment too so I made an acetate mask to check positioning of features etc., and they seem to be spot on, maybe it just doesn't work visually so to speak. I'll re-look at that and make adjustments. (Now you've pointed it out, it's bothering me more)! Re: modelling on face and brushstrokes I absolutely agree but I think the reference was too blown-out, I'd love to make more painterly marks (thanks for directing me to Tim Benson by the way) and absolutely hate the idea, as you suggest Alan, of 'copying a photograph'. And re: the signature, to be honest that was somewhat of a practice one (!) and I definitely don't feel the painting is finished yet! Back to the easel....
Posted
Hi David, I think it's an excellent portrait, you've certainly captured 'your likeness.' I do agree with Robert and Alan regarding the eyes, is your right eye slightly smaller than your left in the portrait perhaps? These little problems occur all the time with me and I find that putting it aside for a day or two and looking at it afresh later often helps to resolve the issue.
Posted
A excellent selfie, I don’t do portraits simply because in don’t like doing them , looking at your painting and then the photo I would suggest that the right eye is a bit smaller than the left. It looks not quite the shape of the right eye I see in the photo . Russell does a lot of portrait work and I’m my opinion is very good at them I would take his advice about leaving it for a day or so, I find it works with any of my paintings.
Hi Everyone - thanks for all of your advice and encouragement. I've reworked parts of the painting as you can see - but not signed it yet! I think it's better but I might have another go at it in a looser style as per comments. Thank you again.
