My first attempt at Egg Tempera

[erudite]

Hallo,

I am posting my first attempt at ET… Of course some of you may well be forgiven to think I mean ET the Alien!

The size is about 15cm X 24 (6" X 9")
I am not quite happy with the scans. They really "lose" something in translation and seem much harsher and the colours on the original much richer. Enough excuses! :grin:

Thanks!

Anton

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/9326/scan211db.jpg

[JeanM]

Nice work Anton. Especially for your first ET. I like the psychologically intriguing look on the face. It's very edgy. That said, I'm not sure I understand your light logic. The nose has a strong light and so does the subject's right eye. Wouldn't the right frontal cheekbone catch more light?
Also, I don't sense the roundness of the head in back.
I would like to "hear" what others think.
Jean

[Alessandra Kelley]

It's squirmy. I like it. You look like you have a lot of drawing experience.

It looks a bit like the figure's right eye (on the viewer's left) is painted frontally, while the rest of the face is three-quarters profile. This gives it a kind of odd, intense look. Is this a self-portrait?

[Dennis H]

Anton,
I wonder if you might consider doing something to break up the regular striations in the background hatching, particularly those in the upper right section over the subject's head. Perhaps, work over that area again with another layer or two of a similar gradiation to soften the striped effect, offsetting the marks that are already down there. You could still let your brushmarks stand out distinctly, yet diminish the regimentation of the marks that exists presently.
Dennis

[erudite]

Thank you all for the responses!

The portrait turned out pretty odd — yes, it is a self-portrait. I don't usually look that creepy :oops: I hope!

But as Alessandra pointed out, the eye is squiff… Just goes to show that Cenino's advice always holds. Do the drawing and leave it aside for a few days. Fresh eyes always show the flaws. And my next purchase is going to be a black mirror.

I still think the scan did it no justice — almost as if it accentuated the fine brush strokes. Anyway. I am right now working on a few exercises… perfecting the blending/hatching technique.

I have always enjoyed drawing using a hatching technique – and oils always left me muddied and thick. I hate that fat impasto *shudder*.

I enjoy tempera very much — a very quiet and contemplative technique. So let's hope I get better at it!

Thanks again for your comments. Always appreciated.
Anton

[JeanM]

Anton, it's good to know you enjoy cross hatching. I love it too! The slow process is calming and meditative. At the same time, it is exciting as the first layers begin to shine through and colors take on a glow. I saw some originals by George Tooker and became enamored by the process of hatching. He is a master at it. If you don't already have a copy, maybe you could get your hands on his biography by Thomas H. Garver.
Jean

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

Excellent feeling Anton :-)

:arrow: But I'm old fashion when it comes to lights, I want to make a point about having three light sources to the face, as its giving off a photo feeling, I notice the light in the eyes direct and on your sides, the light that fills the edge of the nose and face.

take my advise as a friend, avoid this :!:

artistically in our field & trade of the craft, one light source is all it takes to get the painting mood.

bravo on all that hatching! it actually does help build a ET picture

hope to see more 8-)