Portrait Practice

9 x 12, oil on panel

"Jane's Sister"

I am in a weekly portrait study group now. I have sat for two sessions and been able to paint for two. This is my second painting since I have been with them. This elderly woman is the sister of one of the other artists. She kept on falling asleep and changing positions (all of our models are voluntary and not paid) but I managed to get a likeness and somewhat of an interesting composition out it.

Just as with my en pleine air practices lately, I am finding working from life much more rewarding and I know that it will educate me whenever I do need to work from references rather than life. One of the biggest lessons is to get the main shapes and placements down fast and solidly as the model (or nature if outside) will tend to change as you go along.