Head and shoulders portrait

I started with my wife acting as my model, preparing a number of study sketches before setting up a pose for the portrait.

I then tried out a colour and composition study again in my sketchbook. This study was completed in one sitting but I took a photo for reference purposes enabling me to reposition my model after breaks. This first colour study produced an image that appeared to age my wife but we are still talking! I had prepared the support with an ochre wash onto which I built layers of acrylic using brush marks. The finished image was flat, the lower face proportions were too narrow and the whole image felt lifeless.

For the next piece I worked on an acrylic paper support that I had prepared with a mix of white emulsion paint and green acyclic paint. I outlined the portrait with washes before adding layers of colour with brushes. Then to create more life I started to work with painting knives building up thicker and rougher marks.

To get maximum light and give my model a comfortable pose, I set up this portrait in my conservatory. I worked for about 2 hours with breaks before I reached the stage in the right image above. I was not satisfied with the shape or proportions of the eyes or mouth and was struggling with colour matching as the light changed as the sun moved round and the paint dried to a darker hue than when wet. I took some photos for referencing and left the portrait for a few days before returning to it. 

When I went back to this portrait I worked in my studio using the reference photos. Working with filbert brushes, I lightened the skin tones and built up the detail to the background and clothes. I also improved the proportion of the lips and shape of the eyes and nose. I took breaks to allow the paint to dry and reach its final hue and periodically I checked the painting against my actual model as the photo's do not reproduce the skin tones very well. I still seem to have aged my wife in the portrait but am more satisfied with this image than the earlier study.

I am not satisfied with the accuracy of the eyes and matt finish of the raw acrylic paint and may experiment with applying a glaze of acrylic gloss medium over the whole picture. I prefer the additional texture provided by using a painting knife but this has produced a less realistic finish to the skin areas which are soft and smooth in life. It has helped, however, to distinguish between the focus of the picture and the surrounding details. I find the darkening of the acrylic hues on drying frustrating as I struggle to achieve the colour matching I am looking for. I am learning to take breaks to allow the drying to take place before proceeding with new layers.

To experiment with capturing a more natural smile, I worked up a soft pastel sketch of my daughter from a photograph. The photo was adequate for capturing the pose but had limitations in assessing skin hues.

Due to the time it takes me to complete a painted portrait and to create portraits that are  satisfying, I have discovered the advantages of mixing time with the model and studio work from reference photos. I have found that working with live models is far more challenging than still life both in terms of considering the model's comfort and capturing the colour variations on skin hues and tones.