Curiosity

New friend portrait: Mary

I hesistate to say that I am posting this because I don't think I can take it any farther because it sounds like a cop out. I have spent hours on this, however, and have found that the places where changes could be made would take me back to the beginning steps, and I just don't have the patience to do it. As in the last portrait, I feel like this one lost some of how it looked like my friend in the beginning sketches. I've got to work more on letting color help me instead of hinder me.

In any case, here is Mary. I chose "curiosity" as a title only after first considering "adventure." Mary is always off to some great adventure or other, and never seems to have any fear of anything. As such, she has a TON of friends and has had amazing experiences. When I first thought of the word "curiosity," I thought of my first 16th century French lit class in grad school when we all had to go around the room the first day and propose one word to describe the century. Mine was "curiosité," refering to the century's scientists, doctors, theologists and philosophers who were so curious about the world around them and made fantastic discoveries. Thinking about this time in Europe's history made me think about the painter Vermeer. I decided it would be fun to incorporate a lot of elements from one of my favorite paintings of his: The Astronomer. Google it if you don't know it. I love Vermeer's use of light and tried to focus a little more than usual on the lighting here.

Still got lots to learn folks, but this portrait has given me some direction for some exercises to come.

Without the frame:

Close up of face and hands:

With this portrait I tried to be a little more "painterly" than I have previously, not refining everything to death (traditional painters can't zoom in infintesimally and reduce their brush size to practically nothing for details.)