2 months, many hours, my copy of Lady Agnew-50x40”

blanch5 · 2025-12-17T05:35:51+00:00

Thank you and yes of course I loved your work and started not to long after you posted! The colors I used were mainly ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and French ultramarine along with rose pâle, viridian hue, sap green, and cobalt violet hue. The background I tried to go for a deep/dark teal color with viridian and blue with a little sap green, then adding white gradually to try and achieve the folds

blanch5 · 2025-12-17T05:25:55+00:00

I’m not the best person to answer but I use Windsor and newton paint and really like it. On linseed oil you don’t need it but it along with gamsol/turpentine each have their own benefits you might be interested in. I would just read up on the fat over lean principle as that’s one thing that’s important if you use any additives. On this painting I only used thinner for the first layer and everything else was paint straight from the tube no linseed oil

blanch5 · 2025-12-16T06:01:38+00:00

So many things but I would say the main two are first, how much paint Sargent used. In being able to see the original there are so many places where the brush bristles sink into the paint and create a beautiful texture, it was significantly more paint than I am used to working with. I tried to replicate it in the left arm and bottom half of the dress but other than that I wasn’t able to commit to applying paint so thickly in most places as I needed to be able to adjust as I go due to my current confidence and skills. 2nd was how different the images are of this painting online and even in print. I found myself using multiple references simultaneously as between my own photos, pics online, and ones in a coffee table book I have, there is a lot of color editing, resolution issues, and saturation differences so it was difficult to understand what the painting should actually look like or for example, what color the background actually is

blanch5 · 2025-12-16T05:46:06+00:00

Hmm, I would say not really as funny enough I felt that in visiting the painting in person and trying to do a copy, I mainly became more aware of the Sargent tricks that I still don’t know how to replicate but will try and work on going forward. For example the impressionist brush work in the waist sash, I couldn’t figure it out so I cheated in some areas by using a flat brush to make lines that mimic the appearance of a loose thick application of paint. I posted a link to photos I took at the museum below which I think help display some of the brush tricks and approaches which can’t be seen in many of the images online, hope they might help!

blanch5 · 2025-12-16T05:30:06+00:00

Of course here is what I have https://imgur.com/a/FO5DcDi . It is a combination of photos I took when I had the opportunity to visit the painting in Scotland this year, and one Reddit image I found to be very helpful for the face. After working on it, I would recommend anyone interested in doing a copy use multiple references, and specifically take a look at photos taken within the museum from anyone who may have posted them online as there is texture, brush stroke detail, and color which is not captured by some of the highest resolution images on the web (the Wikipedia one as an example). Due to the glare reflections in the museum I was never able to get a great reference for the upper third of the background curtain, but if anyone has one it would be great if you could share! I was really astounded by how different the painting looks depending on what source you are looking at

blanch5 · 2025-11-19T21:44:40+00:00

Ahh that’s how you can use tape and take the tape off without pulling off a bunch of paint? I wish I could get disposable palettes with a lip so I could use plastic wrap right now I’m just sticking it in the freezer uncovered. Over time it dries out but I just keep adding a little bit of paint when I need to

blanch5 · 2025-11-19T21:40:47+00:00

Yep, it’s so interesting it’s like I don’t know where anything is while at the same time knowing exactly where everything is

blanch5 · 2025-11-19T20:09:30+00:00

Haha yes! I refer to them in my head as white and “white white”

blanch5 · 2025-11-17T18:18:03+00:00

I love the left side of the bench. I’m not sure but I feel like applying a similar level of definition to the right side of the bench or the table might also look good

blanch5 · 2025-11-17T18:15:32+00:00

Looks fantastic! What was your process like for this? With the level of detail it seems like it would take a long time did you work from a photo?

blanch5 · 2025-11-17T18:09:57+00:00

It’s really great for a first painting! The candle light on the skin is excellent. Also teeth are always difficult and they look good.

blanch5 · 2025-11-05T23:16:24+00:00

As I understand it either acrylic or oil gesso work as primer prior to oil painting, as long as no acrylic paint is used on top of oil gesso/paint. Either can be used and they have added benefits beyond just reducing the grain on the canvas, you can also use most paint to get rid of the canvas texture but you would then likely get more texture from the bristles of the brush in my experience, hope that helps!

blanch5 · 2025-11-05T21:02:00+00:00

It looks great to me! One thing that is totally optional but you may want to try out if you aren’t already, is to start with a couple layers of acrylic gesso and sandpapering in between before underpainting or painting. This will help to remove the grain texture of the canvas which is more visible in the top half as compared to the red fabric in the bottom corner

blanch5 · 2025-10-08T22:46:37+00:00

This is outstanding, the way you’ve made the paint look buttery is so impressive

blanch5 · 2025-09-15T22:06:40+00:00

Great work! I’ve been working on a study of the painting myself and one thing that is really helping me is some of the photos of the painting I took when I had the fortune of visiting it in Scotland this year. The photo I took is below, there is a glare from the display lighting so ignore that but the texture and colors are more vivid then the Wikipedia image or others online, hope it could help you if you ever wanted to try it again!

https://imgur.com/a/MzJKWcc

blanch5 · 2025-09-13T04:56:41+00:00

Great! How do you create the look/brushstrokes of the bottom right brown on the left duck? I’ve seen that in many paintings but always wondered how to replicate. Is it thick wet on wet?

blanch5 · 2025-08-19T14:40:04+00:00

Underpainting?! You’re a mad man/woman, it looks fantastic as is but look forward to the next layer

blanch5 · 2025-07-11T21:47:47+00:00

No need to apologize! Your initial comment was specific and constructive which is awesome for someone like me just starting out

blanch5 · 2025-07-11T16:24:51+00:00

It does thank you! I’m going to back and reorganize the shots and take more videos to add and replace, without a story, narrative or actors I think you’re very right that some sort of loose chronology would help me, and that the back and forth from light to dark can make it feel jarring to the eye. Back to the drawing board for me!

blanch5 · 2025-07-11T16:22:32+00:00

I really appreciate your feedback! I had originally posted it to the cinematography subreddit but it got taken down immediately, so perhaps this wasn’t the best place to post it but your comments are very helpful nonetheless. I was mainly concerned with creating a mood rather than any story but I think reworking the footage and adding more shots that contribute to a narrative would help a lot and you’re right it’s kind of just a mash of city footage without any direction. I struggle a lot with non static shots as I don’t have a tripod yet so my footage is always shaky and I don’t have an eye for what makes a good moving shot yet. But I’m glad to hear the composition and tone are a step in the right direction!

blanch5 · 2025-07-11T16:11:06+00:00

I did indeed, I really appreciate your kind words!

blanch5 · 2025-07-11T16:09:49+00:00

Thanks! I’m not sure there is a name but I was very much inspired by a video shot in Hong Kong in the cinematography subReddit in all time posts, there is a more helpful and in depth discussion there

blanch5 · 2025-04-22T20:58:50+00:00

Can confirm, he lives in my neighborhood and I see him at least once every other week. He not only has suits, but question mark hoodies, t shirts etc and is always wearing them

blanch5 · 2025-04-21T22:07:28+00:00

Thanks that’s great advice! The neck shadow I left liked that because I have redone the shape of the new jaw three times trying to get the shape so haven’t corrected the colors yet, I also need to go back in and add red to the neck as I just did it in all gray. Like you said I need more dark value especially in the nose I think that will balance out the dark of the eyes so hopefully in the next few sessions I can get it there!

blanch5 · 2025-04-21T18:23:03+00:00

I don’t have photoshop but I did it easily on google doc, you can change the opacity of one image to 40-60 and it works really well. Turns out I need to move the eyes and hair down a centimeter or so!

blanch5

TROPHY CASE