Title and Medium
Monochrome Study II Blues Prelude. Water Soluble Oil
Artist's Statement
This is the second of a three part monochrome study. It's a portrait of my nephew. Having been stuck on painting a full portrait it was suggested to do a monochrome study of parts of the portrait. Having done the first one in black/white, I enjoyed the challenged and process so much I decided to do two more. It was quite a challenge to use such a limited number of colors (untramarine and white) yet rewarding in processing the tone and value differences involved for highlights and shadows.
What I'd Do Differently
- I still want to clarify different parts such as the ears and also make the T-shirt better.
Marion Boddy-Evans, Painting Guide, says:
You're right, doing a tonal study is a great exercise portraiture because you can focus on tone and shape without trying to get the colors working too. And I think you've been very successful overall. I agree the T-shirt wants a bit of refining. As it is now, the contrast in tone between the T-shirt and the rest of the painting is too great for me. The white shape feels like it's shouting at me, and the rest of the painting can't make itself heard.
I would probably lighten the background, make the contrast in tone between this and the T-shirt far less. This will also let the face stand out from the background more. I would also make the lightest tone on the face a notch or two lighter. A few little touches to increase the tonal range on the face more. Squint at the painting so you see where the lightest tones are already, then add a little, even lighter in these.
