darrell parrott 03 Aug 2008

Here is the painting so far.

Betty Schwartz 03 Aug 2008

And so far - so good, Darrell. Not your question, but I do have a small suggestion. Lighten up on the shadow under the lower lip of your young woman. This looks a bit like a goatee!

Ann 05 Aug 2008

Hi Darrell, since he's outside sitting on a chair, how about having him sitting in front of a cafe or barfront? Or, he could be sitting at the entrance to a barn hallway, watching something going on outside...

LOVE his shirt! just fantastic. The only thing that I think looks a bit strange are the colour of his lips (might be my monitor) They appear too pink.

Super job on Lupita also. Nice background that blends well with your colour theme.

I think the darker triangle of shading below her bottom lip should be softened and shortened. It has a goatee look to it if you stand back from your monitor and look at it in small format.

Great skin tones on both of them, (as usual) Ann

darrell parrott 05 Aug 2008

Here it is after last nights work. I worked mostly on the face, refining the values and colors. As you can see, I made a first attempt on the stuccoed wall behind him. I also added a shadow of him on the wall. Should the wall colors be more intense, warmer , softer or what can I do to make it fit the rest of the pic?Hope to hear some suggestions. Oh, the pic is at the seven hour mark now.

Ann 05 Aug 2008

Hi Darrell, Very pretty colours on the wall, and good sense of depth with the shadows. Personally, I'd like it softened to lighter pastel colours, so the man is more the focus. This appears to be a smooth wall, so I'm confused about it being stucco, (isn't stucco rough?) but it's nice anyways. BTW, the lips look great now. Glad you ditched the pink lipstick lol Ann

Gail Caduff-Nash 06 Aug 2008

dude, soften the cowboy's shadow a bit. he's starting to look like Batman (and too close to the wall). the finishing touches are very good. don't like the cute background now as much as i liked the bland one. i gather he's in a bar - just go shadowy with it. very nice "Lupita". the hair needs some kind of highlighting and the eyes shaping and some twinkle but both are fine work, as usual.

darrell parrott 07 Aug 2008

Here is last nights work. As you can see, I did the background with a palette knife.I didn't like the shadow either. I hope to work on the face tonight. What do you think? Is the background better?More like stucco?

Ann 07 Aug 2008

Yes, I like that background much better now Darrell. Better suited colours for this man and his red shirt.

I'd still like to see a bit of shadow behind him on the wall, since his face is in shadows from his hat. I now know what was bothering me about his shadow you did before on the wall. It was on the wrong side. You have the light coming from "his" left, so the shadow from his hat and body would be behind him on "his" right. Ann

darrell parrott 08 Aug 2008

Finally finished except for small touch ups.This piece took 14 hrs.That is a little longer than normal, but I changed the background a few times.All in all, I am satisfied with it. Not my best, but not my worst either. His wife and friends said it was a perfect likeness, and they would know more than anybody. Here is where I have a problem. He offered me $100 for it, but I may be having a show coming up this fall and I want to see what the public thinks about it. I do not know what to do. I have many finished works stored, so if I do not sell cheap, it will just stay in my closet with all the others.At least if I sell to him, other people will see it in his house and maybe I will get a commission from it.

Ellen Keane 09 Aug 2008

Go on sell it, yeah especially if the rest of your work is this fab. Really nice work, love to learn to do some portraits, any suggestions?

Gail Caduff-Nash 09 Aug 2008

yes, much better. i can that completely. and the way you let us peek in at his eyes. heres my story about the guy: he's out with his friends on a Saturday night but they've found girls to hang with and he's had more than enough beer. so he's in that mellow, toasted place, still looking like he's ok but he's starting to feel maybe the evening isn't going to be worth the effort of a clean shirt. anyway, don't sell anything until you make sure you have digitals to work with. here's a question: how do you keep from overworking a portrait?

darrell parrott 10 Aug 2008

Ellen. I learned to draw portraits from a book called "Drawing on the right side of the brain".By Betty Edwards.If you will follow the steps in this book faithfully , you will be able to draw recognizable portraits in three weeks.The next problem is how to mix all those skin tones. I found a instruction book on portraits by John Sanders that was very helpful to me. As to the question on how to not overwork a piece, I am having a big problem with that now. I love the western artwork of Denny Karchners , and his attention to details is amazing, I also love Alesia Sutherlands work which is very loose in the details.I am begining to think that I must chose one or the other. Right now I have been seeking something in the middle, and I am not fully pleased with the effort.

Ellen Keane 12 Aug 2008

Darrell Thanks so much, I am really excited about doing portraits now, and hope some time to have one here for your comments. I'm off now hunting the net for those books. Slainte Ellen

chris newbrook 12 Aug 2008

I think you should sell it to the guy Darrell, as it relates to him personally. It's always best to sell to those who are connected to the painting in some way emotionally or personally.

I doubt a stranger would buy it at an exhibition as there wouldnt be that connection with the subject.

Good to see your work on the celebrity contest, I came 7th with my painting of Ed Harris, i was pleasantly suprised about that as theres a lot of quality work on there.

Ann 12 Aug 2008

Looks good Darrell. I agree with selling it to the buyer who can relate to it, BUT! I think you should really start asking more than $100 for work of this calibre though. Your work is worth more than that. Good luck on the show!

bill luke 14 Aug 2008

Perhaps You could sell it and show it.Work out a deal with the buyer that allows You to show it. Just a thought.

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