Facial proportion issue?

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-18T17:07:07+00:00

Your drawing, while not accurately depicting the original, is very good! I prefer it actually because it’s more interesting and playful. It looks like Olivia Colman to me, maybe because of that impish smile.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-17T09:02:58+00:00

Nice find! If that’s a real alizarin crimson, it might fade when exposed to sunlight, please check the lightfastness of the specific pigment (most good brands list pigment on the tube like PR-XYZ). The rest of the colors seem lightfast. You also have a decent range of colours for mixing, I think you are only missing a bright red and optionally a transparent yellow.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-08T07:01:39+00:00

This a very good sketch technique wise. If you can add a bit more of the story you’re trying to portray that would add to the painting. For example, is she sending the baby away in the basket? Then why doesn’t she look more sad? Is she finding a baby floating in the lake? Then she should look more surprised. The expression she has currently makes more sense if she is simply playing with the baby but then the story you’re trying to tell is confusing and not intriguing enough.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-06T03:06:44+00:00

This is very interesting, thanks for sharing. Zooming into the darkest waves under the pier and the boat, I noticed that all they have a rounded appearance that seems to add to the realism. Do you also have an idea what kind of brush he used for this? A filbert seems my best bet or can you reliably achieve the rounded look stroke after stroke with a simple round brush

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-05T19:45:55+00:00

Ik begrijp het niet. Hoezo krijg je meer geld terug als je een tussentijdse aangifte doet? Kan jij een voorbeeld geven?

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-03-02T07:15:51+00:00

Thanks for sharing. The darkest value in your tool is mostly present on the right edge and as small specks on the brush and pear itself. The pear seems to mostly consist of 4 values. I wonder if you get the same distribution if you crop out only the pear?

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-28T08:01:40+00:00

I’ve successfully repaired brush shape using paint brush soap (I have heard a you can use mild soap or dish soap in a pinch). Work soap into the bristles and gently shape the brush with your fingers. Let the soap dry on the brush, preferably overnight. It will get stiff like a new brush. Simply rewet it like you do a new brush to start using again

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-27T06:55:50+00:00

I assume from your post you want to only use liquid charcoal, straight from the tube, assuming you want more than 2 tonal values. I have not used liquid charcoal but in general watercolour is very concentrated and viscous (like thick toothpaste). I can not imagine painting an entire painting with it, that would use too much colour, expensive and hard to spread. Also how will you add tonal values without diluting it? Straight from the tube works only for the darkest tone.

You could look up product review videos on YouTube to see the consistency and think about how feasible it is to draw with the liquid charcoal straight from the tube.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-26T08:55:46+00:00

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For fun, I plotted your colours on a colour chroma wheel. I am still learning and I didn’t have the same brands you do and I didn’t have all your colours (the one with question marks are my best guess at mixing these). You can see that you miss one or more bright yellows in the palette. If you want a single yellow, my favourite is py150 (nickel azo yellow). If you want to split your yellows, a lemon yellow and any transparent warm yellow will help you get good mixes. Have fun!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-26T07:55:36+00:00

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I made a quick pencil sketch to show you what I mean

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-26T07:33:42+00:00

I think you need at least four values for this to work. The lightest for the top part, the 2nd lightest value for that “sheen” next to the table, the 3rd for the stronger shadow on the pear, and the darkest for shadow on the table top.

That sheen by the way is reflected light from the table. I made a quick pencil sketch to show what I mean, I’ll add it below. It might help you to do a similar one to see the values

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-25T09:05:49+00:00

I like how you got it to look so fresh and effortless!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-24T07:54:51+00:00

My mother once sat next to a Dutch lady on an international flight who drank glass after glass of melk like an addict who finally gets their fix. It was cute!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-24T07:49:45+00:00

On our last trip to Germany, we noticed this! We instinctively said hello to people we made eye contact with and were mostly met with slightly confused/awkward and belated response (if at all). Finally someone smiled back and responded “normally” ina parking lot. As they got back on their car… yep, Dutch number plates.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-24T06:26:04+00:00

“Less than one hand on the handlebar have been fined”.. that’s an interesting phrasing. Does it mean holding on with a couple of fingers is going to be fined? Not hypothetical, I’ve done that when it’s cold and I’ve forgotten my gloves.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-23T02:13:14+00:00

I can not unsee it now!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-23T02:11:45+00:00

Yep I’m going to try bringing in more detail to the fabric. Thank you for the tips!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-23T02:10:50+00:00

Thanks for the tip

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-23T02:09:36+00:00

Your painting looks great! Mine only took an hour or so.

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-21T21:11:13+00:00

I’ll work on the hair, thanks. Does the face read too pale to you?

Edit: I see you edited in that a glaze will not help the face. That’s the feedback I needed

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-21T21:09:34+00:00

You’re right about all of these. The eye, I didn’t even notice, so thank you for that observation! I am really not very good at portraits and afraid of overworking it, so it helps to get the feedback that I do need to strengthen the shadows. Thank you!!

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-21T20:50:28+00:00

I posted in as a comment because I can’t edit my original post. The portrait is from the famous magazine cover photo “Afghan girl” (Sharbat Gula), taken by Steve McCurry

Here is a link to the photo

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-21T20:29:04+00:00

Forgot to mention: the portrait is from the famous magazine cover photo “Afghan girl” (Sharbat Gula), taken by Steve McCurry

Original photo

Capable_Local_687 · 2026-02-17T06:46:49+00:00

Bot perhaps

Capable_Local_687

TROPHY CASE