Incorporating Symbolism

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For this individual love for his country and the beauty of flora and fauna were high on my list of inclusion in this portrait.

I switched out the baseball league patch for the Dominican Republic flag and buried native flowers under the mound.

 

 

Paint Application Sequence

 

Two ways of applying paint are "indirectly" or "directly". Indirect painting requires building up paint layer by layer beginning with all the light and dark tones worked out in grey (griselle) or another color under painting. Colored glazes are then applied, creating the effect of light showing through from beneath the color. Direct painting consists of laying on fully colored layers with the last being the lightest. This technique is seen in Impressionist work such as Monet and the Abstract Expressionists such as Rothko. In the picture , tI am painting "indirectly" as well as "directly" . For instance, the face is being painted indirectly and the uniform directly. 

 

 

 

 

Color and Three Dimensional Space

 

Some artists rely on lines to create three dimensionality and then use color as a refinement of that definition. In the 19th Century, Cezanne discovered that cool and warm colors could create the illusion of space.

In this portrait, for instance, the uniform is white, but if pure white paint was used, unless it was contained in a very strong three dimensional drawing, it would look flat like a silhouette. I prefer to use color to define three dimensional space. This can be achieved by alternating layers with warm and cool whites. In this case the uniform paint actually contains layers of blues, reds, purples, and white.

 

 

 

 

 

Harmony Between Form and Color

 

A portrait is intended to look like the person, but if there is no harmony between form and color, the painting will seem flat, without life. Some artists follow a method that entails painting the flesh, then the clothing and background. Others, such as this artist, find painting all over the picture a way to keep every aspect in harmony. Not unlike writing music, too much base and not enough treble throws the melody off.

 

Tricking The Brain

When painting large amounts of one color, such as this white, it helps to trick the brain by turning the painting upside down or sideways. This re-orients the brain for a few moments and breaks up the tension that arises after painting the piece in one orientation.

 

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Hands and Skin

 

 

Hands present a particular challenge. Because they are almost as large as our faces, they can compete with other more important elements of the painting. From a color and form point of view, palms are relatively flat and without the rich colors and veins of the other side of the hands. Too much flesh tone yields what this artist calls the "Barbie doll" skin problem, too little renders the image anemic. It's all a balancing act painting layers and layers, blending blending....... 

In this portrait light is focused on Pedro's hands to emphasize his long fingers that enable him to handle the ball so precisely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protecting the Completed Painting

 

Oil paintings need to be protected from the elements and in times gone by, worms. Varnish was the traditional solution for preservation and is still used today in both matte and high gloss finishes. But it. requires that the painting dry for six-twelve months. Beeswax is another protective sealer and was used in this case because the artist prefers a very soft matte finish and the waiving of the six month drying time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do we see ourselves?

 

Most of us do not see ourselves the way we look to others. Our perceptions come from looking in the mirror, at photographs, or from other media. The final decision as to whether the portrait is an accurate likeness and does justice to the spirit of the individual is difficult. After time learning how an individual sees themselves and would like to be seen or remembered. El Orgullo y La Determincion, In this case strength and determination seemed appropriate.

 

A challenge for the artist is to create a likeness of an individual while at the same time saying something about their character. This artist's goal is to make a portrait vital, human, convincing and timeless. This means capturing the essence of the person at a moment in time, attempting to reveal some of what has gone before in their life, and finally combining the two on a one dimensional plane.