• Susan Sims
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  • Added 07 May 2007
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Grace in Georgian Period Costume

This is a portrait of my grandmother at age 18. Originally, her hair and dress were 1940 style, but she has always loved the books by Jane Austin so I changed her hair and dress to be in the Georgian Period. I took one oil painting class in college and although it was great fun I never learned the fundamentals of how to work with oil, mediums...etc. So I went online and read how the master's painted in thin transparent layers starting with an imprimatura under painting and gradually building from the brown tones to the blue tones then ochres and deep rose madder. This process of layering I was familiar with when painting my acrylics (although I have 40-50 layers with them). I think she turned out well for my first traditional oil, and I finally got the skin tones right without using "skin tone" paint for the majority of the face. I used it only as a light wash for blending. I did research for the clothing and hair by watching movies and going online to costume, paintings, and historical theatre costumes.

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Anonymous Guest

Maria Murphy 07 Sep 2007

perfect

Reba McDonald 08 Jun 2007

Beautifully done Susan.

Ruth Kauffman 07 Jun 2007

Totally awesome painting of your grandmother!! Wonderful oil work, beautiful skin and excellent detail!! I agree with Tahnja about the teeth. A little shading would push them back some but still a brilliant piece!!! A beautiful woman...

Tahnja Wolter 11 May 2007

You've done a totally oustanding job for your first oil painting. I haven't tackled oils myself yet so it's encouraging to see someone who's had such a great first attempt success. The only thing I could pic was that there isn't enough shadow on the teeth, I think they're too white. The skin tones are indeed beautiful. This is something I am working on mastering myself as I have so much trouble getting it right and preventing mudiness.

Janet Gioffre Harrington 08 May 2007

wow, you're multi-talented! this is beautiful!