Today's portrait sketch from a model

Here's what I did at our portrait painting group today.We have someone come in and pose for us and we paint them for about 2 1/2 hrs..This is where I experiment with colour and practise getting a likeness. Painting from real life is the best way to learn as photos don't show the 3D or colour like seeing something in the flesh.I rarely bother finishing them off when I get home and enjoy just getting impact or colour zap.I'm happy with the zap I got with Bob. If I WAS to bother finishing him off more I would just refine his eyes and slightly modify his forehead area. I suppose the portrait I did of my mother for the Archibald is one of these finished off..Although as the artist I can decide it is finished whenever I want!

 One of the problems with the portrait session is we have a dozen artist all trying to paint the one model so you end up about 15' from the model and can't see them properly! I didn't realise how bad it was until I was having trouble with the shape of his cheeks and got him to stand 1' in front of me..Aah! I can see..easy! You can't even see his eyes from that far away.If I finish him off I'll use the photo to help with detail.I just aim for an overall impression from the session.

Bob
30 x 40cms Oil on canvas


The camera doesn't photgraph the blue properly.The background and dark blues are darker.