An update on the large torso in Oil

This is where I was at before. I'd underpainted the torso in blue acrylic.

Much as I liked it the specifications for the commission are for a colourful contemporary painting so the next stages were to add Oil colour over the top.

Below - I've covered a fair bit of the painting. I really like the face so I've decided to keep it blue. This also opens it up to a more contemporary look as it obviously won't be realistic! I'm thinking it's a bit boring at the moment too much orange.I want a variety of colours.It's challenging as it's a large painting and I only have a small studio.When I stand back in the studio to access colour impact it looks great but when I get further back it loses impact as your eyes blend the colours more. I suppose I have to decide on a probable viewing distance and plan for best impact from that distance.

Below -  A bit further along - I've put thick spirals of yellow / cream Oil on the right chest so it is featured at the moment.I'll even things out more as I go along but I don't want to reduce the impact. I want this painting to have zap!

 It has been commissioned by a chiropractor and will be in her office for a while so I want it to be believable but really exciting. As it is a big painting it will have impact.

Above - I actually quite like it here but have decided to add more greens and blues to the LHS which will give a bit more 3D and bring out the RHS more.

Above - mmm in a photo it looks like I've gone backwards with this idea but I think in the flesh it hangs together better. 

 I've redone the LHS with greens and blues and been a bit more careful to fix the anatomy. I've also reduced the thickness of the right arm ( held up) as it was too wide.

It's a tricky business painting a colourful portrait. If you get the tones( light, mid and dark) correct theoretically you can use any colour and get a convincing result. Colours also recede or come forward depending on whether they are warm or cool so that has to be taken into account too to get convincing form. It's a bit of a juggling act. If I didn't want the figure to be 3Dish I could use colours with more abandon.There's a lot of thought and experimentation required to do a portrait like this- much harder than just using pinks and creams.

I'm going to let it dry a little and then come back and put more reds and yellows on the greeny side. The hard part is going to be bringing it all together as a whole while having impact + having a bit of  3D. I think it needs some more of the light blues etc from the face through the LHS too.

I'll sit on it for a while until I know what it needs.It's a on a wall in the hall where I can see it everyday and evaluate things.