Painting a Loved One::What Were You Thinking?

#1

Here it is, too near Christmas, and I have YET to finish a digipainting of one of my siblings, one of 5 that I wish to complete before next Christmas. But, I knew better.

For years, I have not been able to successfully complete a project of a relative or loved one. I had done one for my ex, which she loved to death, but I noticed a flaw in it that Iā€™ve found in ALL my works of such:

When doing a portrait of a relative/love one, the right side of the face (their left) is distorted (too me) quite horribly. Itā€™s as if it had slid down and slanted. I thought maybe it was just my technique, but I can paint/draw just fine with a stranger or model. So, I tried to do a comic-like illustration of one of my sisters. The effect was horrendous. It appeared nothing like them.

Is this just some strange effort of my mind to distort what I know, but why the right side? Am I brain damaged?

Do you avoid doing a piece in which your loved one is the center piece? How can I practice correcting the right side technique when it doesnā€™t affect any other model? Can it be because Iā€™m trying to make someone I know into someone I donā€™t know?

In my mind, I am not being critical of how the piece is turning out. Iā€™ve had comments that, yes, the right side of the portrait is indeed off balanced.

Any suggestions, reasons, therapyā€¦?

#2

lol your post is insane, I have notice the same in my portraits, but I only portrait relatives, so, I couldnā€™t say if it would happend with extrangers too. Je je je I am going to portrait an extranger right now.

#3

Interesting. I have no idea how to you help you with this :frowning:

I have painted two portraits so far, one of my friend Jess and one of my friend Emma. I havenā€™t come across any problems yet.

Do you paint from life or do you use a reference photo?

Wish I could help :frowning:

#4

Currently, for the sibling piece, I can only go with references (family live 600 miles away). With models/strangers, I do both reference and a quick life-still scribble on paper of their pose to use the reference shots for the filling in of the scribble. But, because most of my work is for people out of my area, I have them give me ref shots or ideas of the pose wanted and a few shots of their face (to copy likeness, not lighting). Those are successful with little complaints (mainly, with pose), but with family/loved ones, I can not do the same thing.

I have an example drawing I had done 13 years ago of my cousin, but it was drawn from a ref photo that my aunt has (non-computer days). It clearly shows aā€¦ how can I say thisā€¦ ā€œmongoloidā€, Jason Vorhees-like characteristicā€¦ one side is perfect, while the right side is abnormally crippled. :surprised

#5

Not wanting to scare you, but it sounds weird :stuck_out_tongue:

Could you, maybe, post an example for us ?

#6

I only have one, that of my cousin done 13 years ago in school. But, Iā€™m too lazy to scan aā€¦ 36x24?.. posterboard (and no ref to compare it to for you). Thatā€™s the only thing I have that shows the akwardness. The recent sibling pieces, I ā€œtrashedā€. Four weeks of trying, and I basically said ā€œscrew itā€, and came here to post this topic.

Guess momā€™s getting the traditional phone call, ā€œNo present this year, momā€¦ I have issues.ā€ :rolleyes:

#7

Ohhh you paint traditionally? Well I havenā€™t had much experiance with traditional (Iā€™m ashamed to say) I am hoping to attempt a traditional portrait of a friend of mine soon, with oils :smiley: I hope I can come up with something as good as my traditional :slight_smile:

#8

:slight_smile:
I do traditional painting, but the sibling piece is being done in Photoshop. The cousin piece was done in pencil.

What I meant by ā€œmomā€™s getting the traditional phone callā€, is that she is going get another phone call from moi stating that I donā€™t have crap to give her as with all other Holidays and special event days.

#9

Do you look at your work in progress often in the mirror (or flip it horizontally in software)? If not, you need to start doing that. I attribute the problem to us having a bias for being left or right handedā€“that preference probably reroutes or rewires the way your brain process eye to hand coordination. When you see your image as a mirror reflection, youā€™ll catch the symptoms of that bias. I flip my images dozens of times from start to finishā€“I canā€™t live without the flip horizontal feature. When working traditionally, I always either have big mirror placed behind me, or have a good hand-held one near by.

#10

Thatā€™s a great thought, Robert. I will indeed try that when I attempt to do this again. With only 5 days till Christmas, pointless on stressing myself out on getting it done.

I tend to go left to right when traditionally doing pieces (Iā€™m right handed). Digitally, I jump around (thatā€™s the great thing about digi), but usually only with parts of the piece. I really believe I need to do what Iā€™ve known others here and other communities tend to do. Iā€™ll give that a try.

Thanks.

#11

I have had similar problemsā€¦ and I donā€™t think you need therapyā€¦ I mayā€¦ but thatā€™s for another forum.

I think that it has to do with a lack of objectivity in respect to the subject matter. If you say you draw and paint other people well without this strange distortion, it is probably just because you are drawing and painting shapes and lines. But when youā€™re painting a loved one, you are going to be affected by emotion subconciously.

Try the old art fundamental of turning the reference image upside down. If youā€™re painting live actionā€¦ thatā€™ll be a little more challenging. :bounce:

#12

I have had this too when painting my mother. It took ages for me to see quite how badly I had screwed up (looking in the mirror was a big help).

I have read something about painters of the past painting people from one side if they liked them and the other if they didnā€™t.

This all goes to confirm my suspician that humans are deeply odd.

#13

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