Here are two new examples of artwork; Inktense by Jordan and oil painting by Olivia. 
Terrific job ladies!!!
As an artist and teacher I try to inspire and help the creative process with learning unrealized. Learning in your element is a joy to say the least.
Here is a portrait of an artist friend’s wife I am repainting for him. He did a good job for his skill level and ability, but you need a strong drawing foundation for best results.
It is also hard to paint a loved one you miss dearly. When you look at the photograph a flood of memories come rushing back and it’s hard to paint through dry tears or flowing ones. That’s a challenge in itself for any artist on any skill level.
So, don’t ever stop trying to improve your portraiture painting, drawing abilities, just maybe wait and start with someone else, not a loved one.
I have about 20 hours in painting this, but I made the mistake of working over his work, where I should have just started over from fresh. Portraiture in any medium you need a strong awareness in tone, form and how to set forms in paint. Very importantly you need a stronger foundation in drawing and drawing elements. There is absolutely no way around that fact. I am sorry to say, unless you are God blessed artistically beyond measure you need to do the base work. Along with Life Drawing and MORE Life Drawing.
There are NO LINES on the face drawn in black or brown. The color black or rarely is ever used in flesh tones. Wrinkles on a face are Hills and Valleys in form and shapes; go back to drawing ruffles and shapes as well as material. If you think you can SKIP this process you are wrong.
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Another huge mistake is to add darkest hues and tones found around eyes and glasses that you’d find in a photograph; painting and photography are two separate mediums which need two different approaches to create. Lighting is key when using photography as your resource.
You must paint complimentary to the figure. Yes, likeness and the essence of the person are required, but do not emphasize disorders. Women don’t wear makeup to highlight their concerns and either should you. Have you ever heard, “Flattery will get you everywhere?”.
If you need help with your portraiture painting and drawing realism I can help.
Much information added under painting instruction and oils.
This is the final oil portrait. An excellent example if you work hard at learning, a new skill level is possible. It is all a process, realism that is. You need to play attention to angles and how they change forms and where the highlights belong. Every new skill level will advance form here on. The next painting will include these new learned techniques and beyond. You can do it with
the right teacher!
August 28th.
Okay, Tom is starting to fine tune detail and really look at forms and shapes.
When you find the painting to be “Stuck” in values; therefore the values are stuck in 4,5,6 and 7 start to add the highlight white on the proper section of the forms. This will allow you to see form and the forms should start to create realism. All the fine detailed placement of highlights should start to make the figure appear or resemble the actual person.
This takes time and the more you paint portraits the easier it will become.
Always paint in the direction of the FORM! Realism is in layers. No EXCEPTION for the medium.
The skin tones are starting to create forms and structure in the face. There is a spot on the neck where the canvas isn’t taking the paint very well. It could be the brand of canvas or from using paint thinned by turpentine. Don’t use turp to mix down the paint; use Linseed oil to thin out paint. Turp is meant for cleaning brushes. The turp will break down the binder holding the pigments together. The paint may flow more easier but the paint is worthless and may fade over time. At this point of learning portraiture there are many layers to achieve; but after painting awhile the layers will be less. You should be able to mix your flesh tones sooner than later in which will allow less layers. In other words you will understand how to achieve flesh with less layers because you are understanding form and it’s depth in a value scale one to ten and ten to one.
→→ Very important: Realism is layers and with each layer there is less paint used with smaller brushes. As you learn how to paint form, flesh and wrinkles [Hill and valley, not lines] you will be able to cut out some layering. Always follow the form in drawing and or painting.
In the final layers “Tapping” tone in with the flat top of the brush will help technique. You are after Blending tones and or the Value scale; one to three blend or four to seven blend of tones. You want to paint where the value range of three’s; example one to three, four to seven in range. The goal is to have the tones blend very evenly.
Start with Burnt Umber and Raw Umber for the flesh base and white. Use a red to tint off the main pool of color.
The red background is gone! That’s good. Red is a powerful color and wants to come forward in space. It will fight whatever it is up against. It is about taking your time and learning with smaller brushes and strokes. Realism is in layers with each layer with less paint and area. KEY! always paint in the direction of the form.
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Here is the before and below after picture. Since the color was too red-ish for skin tone, by mixing an oil paint in a flesh tone color with more linseed oil, not too opaque to correct the tones. The under color [ red} will come through and add a tint to the semi-transparent flesh color. Oil paint has a nice blending ability and when it is not completely dry start to “TAP” and blend flesh tone colors in value ranges light to dark to accomplish form and building form on the face and neck. Remember to keep highlights in place, anything light will come towards you and darks will recede in space. 
Roxanne 