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IMG_3630

Paul (Dixie) Dean

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The latest examples of your portraits are excellent Peter ,  I personally think a vast improvement, stick with the new style it works wonders on your portraiture. 
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Peter Smith

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Thanks Paul. I've done the third ABBA picture as well, Frida again. I'm still not all that comfortable painting like this though.....on the other hand it's more fun than watercolour!!   

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by Peter Smith

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Peter Smith

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You remember me saying I wouldn't fiddle..........

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by Peter Smith

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Tee hee - yes, I remember you saying that: of course, I didn't believe you....  You're doing these in acrylic of course, and I've been waffling on about oil: because oil is so much  better for portraiture - in general, when  people talk about one medium being "easier" than another, I'm not convinced - I think all media are difficult in  their own way.  But in portraits - I've seen some wonderful acrylic portraits, but it's really not an ideal medium for them: it's hard work to get a portrait right in acrylic - the paint just doesn't seem to cooperate and you have to fight with it; e.g. Rembrandt would probably have loathed it.  If you're going to give it a go - as you have, of course - you'd probably find a really heavy duty acrylic would help a lot.    In saying that, though - it would require a distinct change in style for you.  Still, nothing ventured, eh.....?  Remember Marjorie's words about full-face portraits - these are hellishly difficult to get right; you've so little to work with; and then showing the teeth - they can look like tomb-stones;  mind you, some US celebrities' teeth DO look like tomb-stones; a ghastly look when you get older, especially....  But - I digress: who WOULD have suspected that?  

Denise Cat

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Peter, I have noticed your improvements in your portraits. I practice quite a lot in this area but I am no expert. I practice the verdaccio technique regularly. Why it is not used much today is because I feel time and patience is an issue. As Margorie has commented, blue and various shades of mauves, lilics and greys are often used to compliment the skin tones that are being hit by natural or false light. As Robert has said, teeth, can look like tombstones. I have recently been doing portraits with teeth. Teeth are not white. They have many shadows within such as the face does. Green in a portrait compliments the natural skin tone. Though the skin does not contain a green pigment in reality. I mix my own greens using yellow. black and a warm white. I will always have blue. Here is an example of the verdaccio in practice.
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Peter Smith

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This has been fascinating and thank you to all of you for taking the time to contribute. I'll keep plugging away....I seem to have settled on a style so I probably have to simply accept that it's how I paint. Portraits are hard but they are also I find the most satisfying when they do come out well.
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