To demonstrate wat I mean with transparent shadows and opaque lights I show this self-portrait of Cecilia Beaux. This marvelous portrait explains clearly the concept. The transparency of the shadows gives the rich colorful character in the darks. I noticed that students have more troubles with the shadows than with the lights. Use the shadows as a tool for describing the form and the lights to show the skin color. See how Cecilia Beaux executes completely this approach.
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I want looking through and I think this website got some genuinely useful stuff on it! .
Loving your paintings teckniq and tips, allredy mail your informations to a friend.
Your guidens while painting is very easy to unterstand and transfere/incorporate when i’am painting. I was looking and found you on “you Tube” I needed help to paint eyes on my first portrait, it woorked.
Tank you.
Sincerly
Naja/Denmark
Hi Ben got your DVD on painting portrait of the boy very good the only thing was you never said how long it took you to paint it just wondering that’s all . I found the DVD very good I hope you bring out another one your so far away from me if I had the money I would go to you school maybe someday your very good keep up the good work looking forward to another DVD hopefully it comes out soon that’s again for all your tips
Paul Hurley
Hi Paul.
The portrait itself has to be painted in one day, before the paints is dry. The palette I prepared the day before.
Ben
Your work is truly extraordinary and you have a great way of explaining yourself. Thank you for this awesome series. It’s been very helpful to me as a painter.
Hello sir!
I’m learning a lot from your lessons and your portraits are divine!
Sir do you mean by “shadows are painted as transparent and the lights opaque” is that the light portions should be painted on thick layers while the shadow parts are to be painted only with glaze(dark tones diluted in oil) on top?
Not really glazed. Only thin.
Monsieur,
Je suis impressionnėe par la qualitė de vos vidėos ‘
Je regarde beaucoup de vidėos de peinture et c’est la première fois que je vois des explications si claires et accessibles.
Merci
MZ
Thank you Ben for the time you given with your excellent tuition. May I ask how to paint the portrait without it looking like it is a picture stuck on a board, or as some term it as a cut out. Thanks
Hi Tricia. Softening edges is one thing that helps you to avoid the cut-out image.
I am having difficulty understanding why this is true. Your example ILLUSTRATES this principle well but does not explain WHY, which was the question.
I read your comments on what you wanted to be when you grow up mine was sort of like that I am 74 now when I was small as far back as I remember I always drew never thought about what I wanted to do as adult , I married had one daughter, worked in the public did not like it , I never fit in as a child or adult was a loner for the most part and a very bad day dreamer that was me a day dreamer . I painted a few things later as adult not good at all ,never thought art collage was something I could do no one ever talked about it as a child , much later in life I decided I wanted to paint more I was 70 then , I did pen and ink water color not much oil . but I was getting pretty good only because I really tried hard at it very frustrating Then one day I was cooking dinner was walking across the kitchen and I heard a voice in my head I have heard this voice a few times in my life , it said YOU NEED TO PAINT that was all He said he never gives me many words never no explanations just orders, I stopped and answered YES I DO NEED TO PAINT. after dinner I ask my husband to bring my easel up stairs to the kitchen , lots of light there , I have been painting ever sense, my grand children and great grand children and family I post on Facebook I have painted for other people for money I have always all my life painted things for people for money, never considered it for a living not even now too old to worry about that now .I do paint for other people not a lot of money I want it to stay something I enjoy,
not work, God will take care of the rest of it I just do what He said to do, I found your web site on YOUTUBE love it have watched everything over and over thank you for that you paint Iike I do except better of course I have improved very much , would love to show you my paintings and get tips from you I try to paint like you teach thank you Ben
Nice story Irene. I was so lucky I choose already at the age of ten. School was a prison for me and art was the escape. Now I am 71 years and still art fills my life.