Here's my 4th finished painting of a Suicide Girl...
This time Fatality sent me a few images that she had picked out as ones that I am assuming she either liked the most or thought would look best as one of my watercolors (but you'd have to ask her on that). Of the 3 she sent, I chose this one utilizing the "Goldilocks method"...one was a close-up, the other was a full-body pose and this one was not too close, and not too far, but just right.
I decided to skip ahead and not post an earlier photo of the pencil drawing that I did before starting the actual painting process. Its a little redundant at this point, and you can take my word for it that I draw it out first. Also, you can always go and read one of my earlier blogs if you're curious what the underdrawings look like.
I felt from the beginning that this one would be a relatively straightforward painting to do. No real surprises or unique challenges save for just getting the likeness correct. I pretty much knew that the hair would be the toughest part of the portrait to get down and look right...or at least consume the most time and attention.
I put down some background tones very early on in this one knowing that I had to get those contrast relationships correct to show some depth and also help parts of her come forward. I also had in mind the possibility of having her hair on the left fade back into the background more than it did in the source picture.
At this stage, I've just started concentrating on some of the details of the face and laying in some cooler skin tones and shadows while also further darkening the background. I'm also trying to block in some basic shadows with the hair to get a feel for the flow and lighting.
Hair is difficult to paint for me. I sometimes have a really hard time preserving the highlights or capturing some of the detail that I see. I felt that at some point I was going to be "freelancing" a little and not worrying so much about being loyal to the source. Just do my best at making it feel and look right. So at this point, it was a matter of continuing to layer the skin tones on until all the color and contrast relationships were right, darkening the background, and fighting through the frustrations I have rendering hair.
One technique I use on highlights for hair is to take a clean and slightly wet brush to scrub out some of the paint in areas I want to be brighter. For some reason it also helps create some unique detailed edges where the paint I am scrubbing out accumulates out and around the lighter area I am creating. I don't think that what I painted looks all that much like the hair in the photo, but as long as the finished painting looks correct, does it really matter?
I'm pleased with how it came out and hopefully when she sees it. she will be too.
As always, I like hearing from other views so please share your thoughts. Also, if any SG wants me to paint her, I'll do requests first come, first serve. Please feel free to put me over with all of your friends and let everyone know that they can buy my paintings to hang in their homes!
Like this one, they'll all go on auction on eBay after I paint them so that I can afford to keep doing this. If you like one, you're encouraged to PLACE A BID!
Commissions always available, so if you're interested in having me paint some big bad thing to match your sheets, send me a message.
-BHT
weird little addendum to the Fatality painting...
I had the painting I did of her up for sale on eBay and about 2 hours before the auction ended, I got an email from some dude...
Q: my wife died in 1998 in lake bonny fl and this is her. I need to know who painted this portrait. so please if you know the artist I would really appreciate that knowledge before I bid.
I looked up his personal info and he's a brand new (as in registered today) person to eBay...
danskie (0)
0.0% Positive Feedback
Member since Nov-11-09 in United States
Location: OH, United States
I explained to him that I did this painting last week, and that it is of a model from this website. I was now curious to hear back from him about this weird situation where I assume this painting reminds him of his dead wife...Also, I thought I had a sale, a creepy sale, but a sale nonetheless.
A few minutes later I got this...
Q: Thank you for your reply. And might I add that it is a great painting. When I seen this painting it brought out a lot of feelings in me even though she's been gone 11 year. And in all honesty it freaked me out. Thank you for the info.
Now, all I want to do is see a picture of his wife. So I thanked him on the compliment, said sorry about the loss and left some hints that I was curious as to what she looked like hoping he might just send me a picture.
and then hours and hours later after the auction ended without a buyer...
I'm fighting demons within my self over this. I miss my wife dearly but for me to move on I don't need to see a likeness of her. But to look upon a portrait of her likeness every now and then would be so sweet. I do wish you the best on this but it is something I have to figure out on my own. Thank you for your time and patience.
sad, depressing brutal stuff.
This time Fatality sent me a few images that she had picked out as ones that I am assuming she either liked the most or thought would look best as one of my watercolors (but you'd have to ask her on that). Of the 3 she sent, I chose this one utilizing the "Goldilocks method"...one was a close-up, the other was a full-body pose and this one was not too close, and not too far, but just right.
I decided to skip ahead and not post an earlier photo of the pencil drawing that I did before starting the actual painting process. Its a little redundant at this point, and you can take my word for it that I draw it out first. Also, you can always go and read one of my earlier blogs if you're curious what the underdrawings look like.
I felt from the beginning that this one would be a relatively straightforward painting to do. No real surprises or unique challenges save for just getting the likeness correct. I pretty much knew that the hair would be the toughest part of the portrait to get down and look right...or at least consume the most time and attention.
I put down some background tones very early on in this one knowing that I had to get those contrast relationships correct to show some depth and also help parts of her come forward. I also had in mind the possibility of having her hair on the left fade back into the background more than it did in the source picture.
At this stage, I've just started concentrating on some of the details of the face and laying in some cooler skin tones and shadows while also further darkening the background. I'm also trying to block in some basic shadows with the hair to get a feel for the flow and lighting.
Hair is difficult to paint for me. I sometimes have a really hard time preserving the highlights or capturing some of the detail that I see. I felt that at some point I was going to be "freelancing" a little and not worrying so much about being loyal to the source. Just do my best at making it feel and look right. So at this point, it was a matter of continuing to layer the skin tones on until all the color and contrast relationships were right, darkening the background, and fighting through the frustrations I have rendering hair.
One technique I use on highlights for hair is to take a clean and slightly wet brush to scrub out some of the paint in areas I want to be brighter. For some reason it also helps create some unique detailed edges where the paint I am scrubbing out accumulates out and around the lighter area I am creating. I don't think that what I painted looks all that much like the hair in the photo, but as long as the finished painting looks correct, does it really matter?
I'm pleased with how it came out and hopefully when she sees it. she will be too.
As always, I like hearing from other views so please share your thoughts. Also, if any SG wants me to paint her, I'll do requests first come, first serve. Please feel free to put me over with all of your friends and let everyone know that they can buy my paintings to hang in their homes!
Like this one, they'll all go on auction on eBay after I paint them so that I can afford to keep doing this. If you like one, you're encouraged to PLACE A BID!
Commissions always available, so if you're interested in having me paint some big bad thing to match your sheets, send me a message.
-BHT
weird little addendum to the Fatality painting...
I had the painting I did of her up for sale on eBay and about 2 hours before the auction ended, I got an email from some dude...
Q: my wife died in 1998 in lake bonny fl and this is her. I need to know who painted this portrait. so please if you know the artist I would really appreciate that knowledge before I bid.
I looked up his personal info and he's a brand new (as in registered today) person to eBay...
danskie (0)
0.0% Positive Feedback
Member since Nov-11-09 in United States
Location: OH, United States
I explained to him that I did this painting last week, and that it is of a model from this website. I was now curious to hear back from him about this weird situation where I assume this painting reminds him of his dead wife...Also, I thought I had a sale, a creepy sale, but a sale nonetheless.
A few minutes later I got this...
Q: Thank you for your reply. And might I add that it is a great painting. When I seen this painting it brought out a lot of feelings in me even though she's been gone 11 year. And in all honesty it freaked me out. Thank you for the info.
Now, all I want to do is see a picture of his wife. So I thanked him on the compliment, said sorry about the loss and left some hints that I was curious as to what she looked like hoping he might just send me a picture.
and then hours and hours later after the auction ended without a buyer...
I'm fighting demons within my self over this. I miss my wife dearly but for me to move on I don't need to see a likeness of her. But to look upon a portrait of her likeness every now and then would be so sweet. I do wish you the best on this but it is something I have to figure out on my own. Thank you for your time and patience.
sad, depressing brutal stuff.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
You did a Fantastic job and i LOVE her hair in painting and in pictures.
She's GORGEOUS!!