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How I Created One Face Painting

This video short consolidates several process photos of the last piece posted on this blog.  At the point before the trees were added, I felt stuck.  Some of the questions that were arising were:
  • Is the face over-painted? 
  • If so, does that mean the piece is complete? 
  • Why does the overall piece feel so bare? 
  • How do I keep the central image 'popping' if background work is added (to prevent eye distraction)?
  • What kind of background would complete it?
I had one idea, not fully formed, of adding in the background--shadowy trees in the style of Eyvind Earle.  So, I had to go back and research his work, because I knew I wanted the dark trees and to add depth (e.g. with trees in foreground and in a distance).  It was a week or two before I started the background...still unsure if that was what would really complement the image.  Well it seems to work.  

In the Earle paintings I reviewed, it was clear that his tree work evolved over the years to an incredible level.  I see mine as beginner trees that could also evolve in drama and detail, if I work on them more.


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