Some days it just doesn't work

I worked in the studio most of the day yesterday and seemed to be working in circles. Some days are like that.

I managed to start a new painting and work some more on some others that I started a couple of days ago.

here are the ones in process. Top shelf is finished.

 "I am so intrigued by the under painting colors/strokes you use. Then they are painted over for depth, or ponderance? Your paintings exude passion in the initial stage with paint as the catalyst. Then how you manage to connect it all is mind blowing."

I received this comment  yesterday. I do work differently from some other figurative artists. Drawing is important in capturing a likeness, but I don't start these faces with a drawing because then I feel limited with the spontaneity and freedom of the brush strokes. To me it is like painting in a coloring book. The bold colors of the under painting do influence the finished work. Little pieces of color can peek through. Of course, I have to apply my drawing experience to create a likeness by the second or third stage of the painting. On the most successful faces, in my opinion, I still have the impressionistic brush work and colors.

It is natural for me to capture a likeness and in my student days I sometimes was criticized by fellow students, "That looks just like the model"...I would answer, "Isn't that part of the training in seeing the model?" The challenge I have set for myself in this project is to break away from any smoothing of paint; no photographic likeness ( a camera does that) and keep the face as painterly as I can.

Another interesting face

I have received some great photos of people I do not know, but their faces intrigue me. Unfortunately there are many photos that I can not use because of size and quaility, but at this point I have chosen all but 2 photos for the rest of the series.

A Change of Plans

The other night, over dinner, my daughter suggested that I make 50 portraits rather than 100. She said, "I like the sound of 'Fifty Faces." I had to agree. This is the start of the 5th week of work on the project and I have 21 faces completed, and 6 in the beginning stages.

I still plan to have an exhibition in my home gallery of the finished faces and publish a book. The portraits till be available for purchase for $425 + shipping. This is less than half of my usual price.

People have been sending me photos and some have been wonderful and many others I can't use because they are too small, too cloudy, no contrast or facial details. I can not interpret a face in paint that I can not see clearly.

Here are a couple of photos that are good examples of what I can use.