For my second oil painting, I choose a photo in pastel tones from my collection. Very fine tonal gradations, especially in the skin areas, allow me to practice the color mixing technique. The hair is also an interesting challenge for me. Let's see if I can reproduce it realistically without getting lost in the detail of each individual strand? However, what sets the mood of the motif the most are the woman's expressive eyes. Rendering this look and thus the overall mood of the picture with the brush is probably the real challenge in this portrait.
Format: 50/50 cm, Oil on Canvas
03.02.2024: I use the skills I learned in Torsten Wolber's course for this painting too and start with a medium gray base coat. Using a broad brush and liquid paint, I roughly outline the most important areas of the canvas, such as the background, the dark hair, the skin and the base of the dress.
04./05.02.2024: Now it's time to work with the palette knife and oil paint in a pasty consistency. I start with the darkest tones of the hair and use a quick spatula stroke to define the darkest areas of the hair. I then use the same technique to create lighter areas of color in the other parts of the painting. I may not change much in certain areas of the work - but it's too early to decide at the moment.
09. bis 15.02.2024: The rest is fine work with the brush now. I try very hard to only correct mistakes and only work on details where I think this is necessary for the overall impression of the painting. I try to preserve the spontaneity of the palette knife strokes as much as possible.
As expected, It takes me the most time to work out the face and I have to rework it again and again until the figure's gaze really fits.
For once, there is no highlight in the eyes at the very end of the painting process. In most portraits this really brings the person depicted to life: in this motif, the tip of the nose is the brightest point in the painting. But the bright spot on the tip of the nose also has an incredible effect, I personally find.
