Seal

[Benco]

Hi everyone,

Just finished this: 'Seal', soft pastels on 30 X 40cm black velour.
I'm quite pleased with it but suspect it could be better so have a pick at it please.



Thanks

[Ingrid]

"Pick at it" ??  Hmmm ... you do set the impossible Ben!

Okay ... I love this, I would be proud to hang this artwork on my wall.  Seal's eyes, nose and the set of his mouth, I love. The colours you have used are great. This is a strong, powerful portrait yet there is lots of light and a softness about it I really like.

If I have to 'pick'  ... I really like how you have softened all the outer edges, it is a lovely effect.  His ear is the only 'edge' you haven't soften in the same way, so I find my eye drawn to that.  Maybe if you soften the extreme out edge just a tad ....

Great work Ben! 

[Benco]

Thanks Ingrid, I see what you mean. I'll sort that this evening some time.

Glad you like it

[Millie]

Wow Benco! Very strong and still moving. I'm sort of speech less, and if you get to know me, you'll know that's high praise.
I have studied and studied it and still find lines and postures to be discovered. Amazing work.
Millie

[Pat]

Benco,
very nice pastel portrait. I like your strong colors,
& strength of your marks. The highlights work, but
you might need to highlight the left side of the neck
a little more, as the light is coming from that side. Is
this man bald? I see no indication of hair. Your subject
has a bold face & good bone structure, nice pick for
a portrait!

Pat 

[JWJ]

Saw this earlier this morning but didn't have time to stop and write. There is nothing I would like more than to be able to provide some constructive criticism. Truth is, I have been studying this for ages and can't find anything about it I don't like. I take Ingrid's point about the ear, but if she had not mentioned it I don't think I'd have noticed.

I love the dark moodiness of this picture. It is immensely powerful. Your use of quite bright highlights on extremely dark skin tones with the black background makes for high contrast. There is lot to be learned from studying this portrait ... from the simple positioning of the head, slightly off center, to the tremendous use of lights and darks.

An excellent portrait that I really can't 'pick at'.

[Benco]

Thanks Everyone,

Pat, Good point about the light, what's happening is that the light source is in front and quite high, he's turned his head up and to his left so his face and chin are shadowing most of his neck, I'll take a look at it and see if I can get that to come across more clearly or else invent a highlight on his neck.

Oh yes and he is bald. The scarring on his face is due to a reactive skin condition he had in his youth that also left him bald, he's good looking enough to get away with it though.

Thanks for the useful critique

[smiler]

WOW that is powerful! Apart from the ear that Ingrid pointed out, I can't see a problem with it. You have his expression spot on. Stunning work.

[Tracey]

WOW!!! Brilliant skills, Ben - another beautiful piece of work - so powerful, yet also tender - which is Seal to a T inni?  Thanx for the info about his scaring too - I always, for some unknown reason, thought his scaring was a tribal scarification thing.  Maybe coz his scars actually enhance his beauty!

Great work - I always admire anyone who can work with pastel without leaving smudgy old finger prints all over the unmarked pieces of paper!  Do you use pastel pencils or the little blocks of color?

Trace x

[Benco]

Thanks Smiler & Tracey
I use pencils & soft pastel sticks, fingerprints and smudges are a problem but I find keeping one hand clean pretty much deals with that issue (most advice on that issue is too keep both hands clean but I can't be bothered), darker coloured paper or velour is more forgiving than lighter shades as well, on black velour like this you can simply cover any smudges with black pastel, sloppy but it works.