The highlight is at the top of the form. No question. It doesn’t matter what style of art you are painting. YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE REALISM IF YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO PAINT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. Get charcoal and a life drawing pad and draw a person. Then we can talk. Until then do your homework.
I have a Facebook page as follows: Lehighvalleyartlessons.com
There I post more and there you can be updated. I don’t always have time to work my blog in. Sorry for that. Please check out FB. Thanks. I will try to do a better job. I have been filming my sessions and need to learn an editing program ………ahhhhh Then I can post a few videos.
Tom is learning to paint realism. Not an easy task if you don’t back it up with Life drawing more often then not. I am proud he was able to paint to this level of value understanding. It takes time to grasp values in color. Black and white is where you want to start. Life drawing reinforces the value concept.
Thumbnails they are called. It is important to sketch [on any scale] small drawings as research compositions before you start a new drawing or painting. Use your favorite graphite pencil or charcoal. The main objective is to figure out composition and what works the best in your artwork. First figure out what the main focus will be; what do you want the viewers to see as the subject. Remember how color will affect main focus as well as lighting. Then taking into consideration the light source. Each thumbnail is meant to be different; change the light source, move the main subject within the small sketch to see how the composition changes by moving the objects within the small sketches. You may find you like for example the main subject matter not in the middle but the left side. Very importantly not to copy someone’s artwork. You may look at photographs of the subject matter but do not copy. Copying destroys the integrity of your artwork; plus you are not learning at a pace you could be advancing. The artist you are looking at has figured it all out for you. The reward comes from the honest beginning.
Remember line direction, movement with line within the composition; the way your eye follows line and how it moves throughout the piece. The gesture of lines and how they are hard or soft flowing lines or gesture lines.
Here are a few sketches Tom is working on for insight to his next painting. 
The header artwork is as follows; The girl is an oil in process, the middle piece is watercolor and the tiger is color pencil.
This is how far I have been able to paint to. This is a large oil painting that I am not in a hurry to finish. It is better to produce quality vs, quantity. Some students say to me, “You’re still working on this?” and my answer is I would rather like what I painted then never be satisfied or question my work at a later date. I have been very busy outside my studio and haven’t had the time window that I need to paint, so eventually there will be the time. My photography here isn’t as focused as I think it could be or my glasses aren’t strong enough! Anyway, the light I am now starting to put in is beautiful. Whom ever views this once hanging and takes the time to read the letter the painting will have so much more depth then just the title explanation.
Remember the Light source in every composition in any medium you work with. Complete flesh tones through out with consistency is key. Looking at where the light is coming from and how the light changes and affects tones. If you are not sure then set up a Still Life to help aid you. mannequins are wonderful for this purpose; if that isn’t an option for you then ask a friend or family member to sit for a little time. Take pictures as reference to help guide you in the process.
Here are two pictures by two talented artist. The Rose is color pencil by Jordan. The drawing in graphite by Adriana. Will post progress pictures as the graphite drawing proceeds.
In the new header which is my new postcard the clarity is not as I expected. It looks nice, but I am picky. The first piece is oil. The second piece is watercolor and the Tiger is color pencil.
So far so good.
Roxanne 