Head Study #67

 Hello, this evening I post a copy of a John Singer Sargent painting, “Head of an Italian Girl” painted in 1878.  I haven’t painted anything in a while and have forgot what I had originally set out to do.  So here it is.

Head Study #66

Okay, today I have from 1903, a portrait of Ella de Ridder by Philip de Laszlo.  I've recovered from my sketching in purple stage and now try to paint in stages like they were originally done.  But I'm only guessing at that.  (12 x 18")

 

Head Study #65

Tonight I'm posting a copy of Philip de Laszlo's portrait of Mrs Claud Mullins (1915).  I don't recall the reasons I choose this one, perhaps it was the simplicity of it, so as not to be too challenging. Half way through I was beginning to think I should paint it in de Laszlo's method.  So I'll keep that in mind for a future go.

 

Head Study #63b

Well, I was going to try to add color to this, but I quickly found it would have been a pain in the ass.  So I learned that I should go to full color from the get go.

Head Study #64b

Continuing with the last head study, I've colorized it.  The colors are close to the original portrait by Philip de Laszlo in 1934.  I thought It might be easier to start out with the single purple color and work out the shading then.  But I now think it would be easier to just go into the color from the start.  Sorry for missing some photos of the progression.

Head Study #64

 Today I've posted a copy of a Philip de Lazslo painting of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, 1934.  (12 x 18")

 

Head Study #63

 Here is a study from John Singer Sargent, Miss Ellen Archer Eveleth Smith originally painted in 1883.  12 x 18"

Head Study #62

Here is a study of Louise Brooks, a silent film era actress.  12 x 18"

 

Head Study #61

Today we have a portrait of my Mom from her younger days in 1955.  It was her birthday a few days ago.  I was thinking of her and thought I'd have a go at her portrait.  (18 x 24")

Head Study #60

This is from a 1926 photo of Natica Nast, daughter of the magazine publisher.  It was a large scan, so I used it.  I got it done in two passes.  In the future I'd like to get it done in one go.  (18x 24")

 

Head Study #59

Today's entry is from John Singer Sargent's charcoal portrait of Ethel Sanford in 1922.  Googling and untangling through all the "Sanford and Son" references... she was the daughter of Henry Shelton Sanford, the founder of Sanford, Florida and one time United States Ambassador to Belgium while Leopold was King.  Don't ask me whom King Leopold was.  Sargent never painted him.  (18 x 24")

Oh, now I remember.  I was painting on a new unprimed sheet of canvas paper.  And found the paper was absorbing the paint too quickly and came to the conclusion that I needed to prime the paper in same way.  One coat of Gamblin Ground seems to have done the trick.  Anyway, that explains the second photograph.  And from Wikipedia, Leopold was "the owner and absolute ruler of the Congo Free State".

Head Study #58

Here's a John Singer Sargent charcoal portrait from 1923, Lady Elizabeth Lyon, AKA the Queen Mum.  I'm not real happy with the way the duotone is working out.  I'll stick with the single color or maybe go with a three color version in the future.  The size is 18 x 24".