DANCER by Jendrawan Husada

This is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

A striking portrait...I do have a little trouble with the angle of hand though, which seems not quite as it would be? Lovely colours, well suited to the subject.

Thank you for your comments. As regards the angle ot the hand, it's the reason they start instructing dancers as early as 4 years old. To get that angle and hold it takes months of practice. What is not shown in the painting is that in this dance the dancer should be able to move each "part" of every digit individually. Like the first two parts of the middle finger, while other fingers remain still. This is accompanied by a flicking of the eyeballs (left to right and back) A lot of strain is also put on the wrist articulation. Note the position of the thumb, It is impossible to assume that position with the hand in extreme retroflexion without proper training. Hope I have not been too lengthy in explaining :-)

Agree with Olga and Ruth, although as to the hand - I believe in this form of dancing, every hand movement has a meaning, and plays an important part; therefore the hand will be held at unusual angles -but I think the thumb, which is pressed into the palm of the hand, perhaps is a little shorter than it should be at both top and bottom: the bunched muscle and flesh would be slightly more obvious and extend to the heel of the hand. This wouldn't normally matter very much, but of course it's such an important part of the painting. The expression on the face is superbly done, and the colour is striking. The way you've painted the leaves against the inky background is particularly impressive.

Thank you for your kind comments Robert. Very well observed, I agree with you about the thenar eminence and its relation to the heel of the hand which is not clearly visible. That can be ascribed to my painting skills. A little less highlight and more shadow in the scaphoid area is called for. You have very sharp eyes :-). As for the size, there is a little foreshortening in effect here and the thumb has only two digits. The first one slightly longer. In extreme retroflexion this is accentuated and the shortness of the other digit as well due to perspective. Try to make a fist with your thumb sticking out at you at a 90 degree angle to the fist. Flex the thumb maximally and the view of the thenar eminence will be obstructed, in the extreme it can actually be totally covered bu the first digit. My daughter had lessons at one time and I got this from watching :-) My hand hurts even thinking about it.

A lot of coments on technique and the angle of the hand, etc........... All I want to say is that your work is beautiful !!

Thank you Tony, much appreciated.