Revising an oil portrait painting
I originally painted this oil portrait a few years back, and I wanted to freshen it up a bit with oil pastels.
As usual, I started by putting down marks, and completely covered her face. I don’t know if I used a photo reference when I painted her years ago, but if so, I no longer have it.
When I use a reference, I usually do so loosely. I focus on where the shadows & light are, but my intention isn’t to copy the photo or face exactly. Sometimes I’ll use a photo of a male when I’m painting a woman and vice versa because I’m only looking at the values, not the face itself.
I didn’t pull up a photo to use when I revised this one, and decided the room she was in was well lit, so there wasn’t a lot of shadowing on her face.
More than likely this photo was a mistake, but I like how blurred it looks, taken on the fly like that.
Pretty crazy looking, eh? This marking part is so fun for me. I just quickly put down the oil pastels without thought. Trusting it will either work out or not - either way, doesn’t matter.
I blended the oil pastels with a tortillon, and she had a completely different face, and a softer, creamy look.
I used a mixture of different oil pastels, not sure what brands. I just grabbed a handful out of my giant bin to use. I wish I could say I’m organized and have my pastels sorted by color in drawers, but I don’t. Yes, they get messy, but I clean them off on a paper towel as I’m working. I usually try to choose the ones I know blend & layer well.
In art, there is no need for color; I see only light and shade.
- Unknown
I would add to this quote and say shapes, also. It’s easier to think in terms of shapes instead of “I have paint an eye”.
Watching:
The Drug You Didn't Know You're On - this guy is like a breath of fresh air. He speaks the truth, daring to say what others don’t/won’t about what’s going on in society today. I highly recommend subscribing to his YT channel.
How I create my daily abstract paintings by Andrew Lavers - I used to create abstract paintings daily also. I called them my “morning pages”, but instead of writing, I painted every the morning. I remember my jumping off point was asking myself what color I was most pulled to each day, and that color would dominate the page.
I’m Not Feeling Creative - I totally get what Rafi’s saying. It’s extremely hard to feel creative these days. We all have our reasons.
Lastly, if you’re having trouble going to sleep, I recommend listening to this video. Last night I thought I’d never get to sleep, and after meditating for 2 hours, and still not feeling relaxed, I decided to try something else. I found this video, and I was instantly relieved of my busy mind. So relaxing, and calming.
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You can find my artwork on Daily Paintworks, and eBay.
You can also find me on pinksky & blsky.