Van Gogh self portrait, here are the first stages of my painting of him. I used a 12 x 16 inch canvas and made the drawing. I had originally wanted to leave the canvas white as Vincent was said to do this so that the colours would remain nice and bright without having to compete with an earth toned primed canvas. However after my drawing I decided to tone the whole canvas a naples yellow with white mixed in. As Vincent often used a pastel primed canvas I thought I would try this too. I didn't photograph this stage though. I painted in the first stage of his jacket and as I was running out of time and didn't have many colours available for the flesh tones in oils, I decided to paint his hair and face in acrylics. This can easily be painted over in oils later on. The nice thing about doing it this way is that the acrylics dry very quickly. I still have so much more to do on this painting! But it is a very interesting project!
Nice sunny Spring weather here, very uplifting to go for a nice walk in my almost wood! I say almost as most of it did get cut down!
Happy Painting to you all!
Good morning Lass!.... Hello Vincent!... So Glad to see you again!
ReplyDeleteA tremendously successful start. Yuu have nailed his essence and have capture that inner sense of mystery. I especially liked the pencil rendering... Handled in a very masterly fashion! Bravo Lass!
Good luck with the rest of it!
Warmest regards,
Bruce
Thank you Bruce, it is a gloomy rainy day here so maybe a session of painting with the bright and colourful Vincent may lift my spirits! One of my painting pals liked the Vincent as he is now! she said the painting was so fresh and alive. So I may not do too much more to it. Not sure!!! The sensible thing to do would be to start again, even do a few!! Though I want to paint one of Cezanne's self portraits.........!
ReplyDeletePerhaps do another in oils, as this one stands, as is, for me. Love the pencil rendering, also, and the portrait is lovely - the blue-grey on his mouth should not work at all, but it does! I love seeing what colors artists choose and it’s a special delight when they choose something contrary to what I would choose and then make it work (sometimes I wish I was more colorful and bold).
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda, oopps didn't read this before I went and carried on with the painting. I think you are right that it did work on it's own. Maybe I couldn't face all that drawing again to do the same image again! You are quite colourful and bold Rhonda I see it in your work, I often think you are more so than me!
DeleteDear Caroline this is a beautiful start. The background makes me think of Van Gogh's style of painting as well. Hope you are having a warmer day. Our snow is almost gone and the sun is shining today - I am loving it :)! Take care and have a great week - Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHello Debbie, many thanks I have been working away though quite slowly which is OK! I seem to have to take my time, wanting to look more than paint at times. Yes indeed at last it looks as if Spring time may well be here at last! Glad you have your sunshine at last!
DeleteThere can be no more apt a colour for a Vincent portrait underpainting surely? I am positive he would approve.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work - will be interesting to see what changes you make.
Super start Caroline looking forward to seeing your portrait work develop this year
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