March 17, 2013

Yikes, this is progress?

The sweet painting of Jennifer wasn't working for me.  I knew I had to make the white square at the upper left into either a painting or a window and integrate it to the painting by lowering the bottom edge.

Once I did that, and painted in a window shade, the painting suddenly was no longer a painting of Jennifer, but of a figure alongside a still life.

Drastic measures were called for -- or at least a lot of black paint.  I have put Jennifer into shadow and played up the light on the still life and outside the window in contrast.

Now I have to work the shadowed figure to reduce the mass of the draped skirt.  And I may have to put a shirt on her.  I'm not being prudish, but something about the breasts aligning with the lemons -- ugh.  I think I'll try first to deepen the shadow, but if that doesn't work, it will be time to cover her up.  As I am working through this, it's a pretty big contrast to my "alla prima" way of working -- instead of one fast session, I have been back and forth on this for two weeks and I'm sure not done yet.

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