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Denise Cat

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I certainly didn't plan on any portrait painting today. Just a bit of sketching. My youngest son who works away is home for a few days over Christmas. He is always on the move visiting everyone when he's home and seeing his close friends.  I can paint for 6 hours straight without a break. I asked him to sit for a while. It's difficult to keep him still for long and after 3 hours he had enough. He was laughing, talking, and fidgeting. I sketched quickly in paint trying to get basic shapes in and lights and darks before he had enough. If he could have tolerated a couple more hours I think l may have finished it. I don't have a system of doing a portrait and may use a different approach or technique with each one I do. I can feel confident here I've got the features and bones of it. I think I gained enough information to continue without him if he doesn't want to spend a few more hours sitting.  It's a matter of skin tones and texture on the beard and highlights. Detail and bring the whole thing together.
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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It’s coming together beautifully Denise , I can see a resemblance to you . I’m with your son , sitting that long would be impossible for me , I think you would soon get cross at my fidgeting . 

Alan Bickley

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Definitely a good start Denise… keep going and impart some energy into your brush strokes, my advice is don’t try and be too exacting/accurate at this stage - I’m liking the overall look of this composition!
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Carol .

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Looking good, Denise. Three hours is a long time to sit but, for the artist, not so. Not the easiest of subjects. Well done.

Denise Cat

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Thanks all for your input. He sat for an hour today but that's about all I will get out of him now. This was enough for me to look at the proportions of his face and look at the reflections on his glasses. The portrait is not finished but I now have all the information I need to complete it without him. I've kept in mind Alan about not trying to be too accurate. It can definitely stunt me. When working from the cast I have or when doing a still life, I use the sight size method. When doing a portrait from life there is some distance to contend with. I started from a difficult angle and used the left arm of his glasses as a fixed point for me to try and base the shape of the head from this angle. I only had a small canvas prepared and I now wish I had a slightly larger canvas prepared, then I could have used the sight size method. The portrait is slightly smaller than life size due to the size of the canvas. Still, I am happy with the overall position, measurements, likeness and how it sits. I think I'll probably spend another 4 hours on it bringing it all together.

Alan Bickley

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Great depth to this now, and you’ve loosened up a bit… excellent Denise, just have a look at the left arm of his glasses (as we view him), looks a bit strange!
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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It’s looking great Denise , I was looking at the left side as Alan mentioned it, I think the hair coming down and slightly over the frame can initially be mistaken for the frame , might just be my perception of course.

Denise Cat

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Oh yes, his hair was falling over the top corner of the frame. I need to put some more fine strands of hair coming down from that area. The hair needs more work than the rest of it I think. His hair was messy and I was just getting the abstract flow of the mess. He is going to the barbershop Tuesday and not before time I say.

Alan Bickley

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Oh yes, I see it now, hair not the frame arm… it did confuse me but all good now!

Norrette Moore

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Great depth to this now, and you’ve loosened up a bit… excellent Denise, just have a look at the left arm of his glasses (as we view him), looks a bit strange!
Alan Bickley on 28/12/2025 16:46:58
Depends on whether he'd sat on his specs or not.. (specs wearer here) 🙂 Also I'm not seeing the hair frame thing that others do...maybe my eyesight is getting worse.

Edited
by Norrette Moore

forum pic p.o

Peter Smith

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That's really good Denise.  I have to admit I always work from a photo, they don't get tired, the light doesn't change and so on but I'm sure that's just me being lazy. I really admire you for having a go at this.

Denise Cat

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Thanks for your participation Norrette and Peter.  Peter, I started learning portraiture by studying photographs. As I've progressed and experienced working from life, it is beneficial. I have watched Sky portrait artist of the year. I've watched them carefully. The majority take photos on their pads and although they had a living person in front of them, they revert mainly to their own reference photo. Nothing wrong with that Peter, we all work differently. Personally, I think if you work from a photo or life or both, what is important is the practice, the learning, the overcoming problems encountered, the chance to grow, develop and improve.
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