Detailed or blurry

Portrait painting from photography has pros and cons. One of the major drawbacks is the inclination to copy all the details. Detailed or blurry?Apparently every wrinkle, eyelash and hair lock must be displayed faithfully. But a good portrait is not a sum of all observable details. I have said it last week: It’s not about whether it just seems real, the point is that it is true and authentic.

In his book Alla Prima ll Richard Schmid says:” In my view, detail for its own sake is a shallow goal, because I don´t think art is about how much stuff I can depict”

Detailed or blurry

One of the contrasts that people often overlook is the contradistinction detailed / blurry. If all details are sharp in a painting the whole image loses one of its possibilities to achieve a focus point. As for me, it loses attraction. I always try to place the focus point on the eyes. They should form the heart and soul of the portrait. If possible, that is where I put the crispest contrast: the high lights, bright spots on dark eyeballs. When everything around is focused, this effect it loses its power. These marked points of light give the greatest impact when the adjacent area is painted in a more veiled way.

So do not obediently copy all the details you see on the photograph. Consider where you articulate and where not.