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Girl with Toy Alligator, Oils
Published: 2006-12-10 02:19:23 +0000 UTC; Views: 23296; Favourites: 603; Downloads: 1
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Description
Oils on Canvas16 x 12"
1984
This is the painting of my "Girl with Toy Alligator" (Pencil hank1.deviantart.com/art/Girl-… ).
Technique: When I read that Titian said, "Svelature, trenta o quaranta!" (glazes, thirty or forty!) I had to try it. I did a light underpainting in black, red, and white. Then I started building up glazes. About mid-point, I covered the entire picture (which was now starting to look finished) with a thin layer of white. Amazing! What pearly colors this produced. Then more glazing of the entire picture with the appropriate colors for skin tone, background, dress and the alligator. I kept count. When finished, this painting consisted of 27 layers. Glazing one layer, scumbling (which is really just a glaze of light over dark, as in my white layer) the next layer--back and forth. This is how the inner glow in her face was achieved.
It took months, in order to allow for each layer to dry. But was it ever worth it!
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Comments: 216
What a lovely work of art! The love you put into this painting really shines forth ~ bravo!
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Thank you very much, Mark. Love into the painting and from the heart of me for my daughter, the model.
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Oh wow! I love how you used the bright light from the left, it makes the portrait powerful and playful at the same time.
You're very skilled!
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I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE NOT COMMENTED ON THIS HERE BEFORE. THIS IS A MASTERPIECE, NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. THE TECHNIQUE IS INCREDIBLE. THESE MUTED TONES HAVE SO MUCH DEPTH AND THE LIGHT ON THE FACE ASTOUNDING. I CANNOT FORGET THE HAIR...WOW, THE HAIR IS PERFECT.
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Thank you very much. I cannot believe I haven't attempted a portrait as fine as this one. I suppose this one cannot be surpassed. Perhaps a lesser one, are rare thing, a portrait of the artist--as an old man--is in order....
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Yes...you should attempt something this grand. This is where your expertise really is. This is where you shine the most. Wow..always love the hair..your favorite thing to do. I for one really appreciate what I call the gift you have.
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I'm working on it.
Yes, it's a gift. A gift I gave to myself.
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I came back again to watch this wonderful portrait. I am not an educated artcritiquer 
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Thank you very much, dear Nancy.
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really enjoyed reading about your process- thanks for that --- lovely result...
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Thank you very much for your kind thoughts.
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I don't mind this work but as with all your portraits the skin color is wrong.
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The skin color is my own. This is not a Naturalistic work. It's Romantic. That is to say, I portray it the way it might be and ought to be (a loose translation from Aristotle).
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Nice work. You're almost as good as Jochen Hein but he works in acrylics:
[link]
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Adrian,
Thank you.
I like Hein's "Jessine".
However, and with no comparison to professional stature intended, I suggest that I'm the better artist.
Robert
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Wow! 27 layers, that's a lot, and it's funny you kept count! I absolutely adore this portrait, because, besides the beauty of the graceful little model,your technique is great! I especially love the lightning once again, as in your violin portrait (don't know if "portrait" only applies to living things) and the hair.. reminds me of Vermeer's The girl with a pearl earring.
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Yes, after diving into oil painting I looked at Vermeer and wondered how he did it. So for this "Girl with Toy Alligator" I saw in my mind what the end would be but didn't know how many layers it would take. It's the 1st one I kept count on. After that I pretty much knew how long a painting would take and how many layers. Oh, I could say a lot about this painting. For example, half way through I put a layer of white over the entire thing and what did that do? I saw pearly colors of all kinds. I wanted the green to look like the color of a pool where a living alligator would lurk and show how the girl (my younger daughter was the model--she's now 37.)is unafraid of it all.
Thank you for loving this portrait.
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Thank you for making this portrait! and for the explanations as well! It's so interesting to hear the process from the lips of the artist himself, and wow I didn't know the portrait is based on an old picture. I bet your daughter loved it.
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What a pleasure it was looking through your gallery your work is outstanding! I love the way you use the light like in this piece, just lovely!!
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Thank you so much.
What does the symbol ^^ mean? I take it as a compliment without knowing its meaning.
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It like a smiley ^^- eyes, can you see?
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It's truly been a pleasure to see this image...
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to see it!
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Beutifull work. The lighting and detail are amazing.
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Echo,
Thank you very much.
Robert Tracy
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Thank you very much.
And your having "started using pastels and they are definately my favorite now. I love the simplicity of them." is a step forward. Pastels are for me very difficult but like you I started using them around 2000.
Keep at it.
All the best,
Robert Tracy
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That light bursting trough is really something. The girl reminds me of someone...
I think you have a good technique going there. Maybe it's all a little to photographic... (No I'm just jealous)!
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Thank you.
My inspiration was studying Vermeer's paintings of girls.
Robert
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