I am a student, I have been painting for a little bit more than 2 years, I have been improving but off course I have a very long path ahead to become the painter I want to be.
I like to paint portraits, and I have study many techniques from many painters, when I paint from dramatic paints (light and shadows) they are fine I guess
There is one painter I am studying now called Scott Waddell, he is awesome, and he achieves some results painting very closed value skin tones, no dramatic changes and somehow they work great, I have seen many of his videos and I am not able to achieve that smooth transitions between very little value shifts.
So, the question is, how do I get those results? I tried to paint like that but my results are flat unless I push the values wich will make it work but wont have that realistic result
Thanks in advance for the answers and sirry for my english, it is not my natal tongue
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There are two ways to achieve fine value transitions.
1. Premix say, nine skin tones grading from dark to light and a greying complement colour. Place the values as tiles with slight overlap. If there is too much difference, use a dry brush to blend the transition.
2. Paint as normal using the blended stroke if needed. Allow to dry. Mix transparent glazes and apply to dry areas. This method will give a smooth luminosity to skin tones. Artists sometimes use a dozen glazed layers. This method takes time and patience. Use Liquin as a glazing medium to speed the process.
Have a look at the paintings of William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
Denis
If I manage to paint some bad but worth seeing for critiques piece then I will glady share it, I mean, I love to share and get critique for my paints, I do it all the time at my IG but... this attempts I am talking about.... just garbage
I think an easier way to start is to paint with just a few values and then paint in the transitions between them. Then correct when dry.
@Alexev, the above link is one of Mark's videos. Perhaps it will help?
I note that apart from the title of this thread, you make no mention in your posts about reference photos at all? Did you realise as you wrote your opening posts, that your concern is not really the photos you are using, but your technique and colour mixing that is holding you back? I am a little confused, so the video I suggest may not be of use to you? I am sorry if that is the case.
I look forward to seeing some of your work when you feel brave enough to ask for direct critique, or better still, when you feel confident that no critique is required and you are comfortable with what you have produced.
It is not easy, but is a learning process in its own right. The resulting gratitude of recipients of the paintings has made the process more than worthwhile, in my experience.
Depending on what software you might have, consider altering the color balance and the contrast halfway to "gray" and comparing it to your digital "original".
Hope your feeling better , take care.
It gets bloody cold in Tasmania in winter, and I'm getting a bit old to be standing out in the weather trying to do large paintings en plein air, so taking colour notes is a shortcut. I hope you find it useful.