Joseph Ford

As I advanced to the level of Painting III, I was searching for more ways to challenge myself and improve my painterly abilities. Portraits of people, for me, are definitely the most difficult subjects to paint. As I searched through potential painting pictures, I decided on a photograph of my only sibling, my little brother. The perspective of the particular picture was different; the photo was taken from a view above my brother’s head in which his face was pointed upward instead of straight. This particular factor was also a challenge, but many overly large drawn heads later, I developed the focus of the painting with the correct perspective. I painted the picture using oil paint on a canvas. Oil paint is the easiest to mix and I used this factor throughout the painting process of his skin. To create value, I mixed pale pink, blue, and green throughout the tone of his skin. To develop texture in his shirt, I used a thicker and more abstract style; I also brought the orange from his skin and hair to create shadow throughout the shirt. I mixed orange, brown, skin tone, and yellow to develop his hair color and to create a realistic look for his hair, I used a fan brush. The repetition throughout my painting is generated through the variety of colors that are repeatedly used. In every aspect of my painting, there is never a color that occurs only once. This painting was most definitely one of my most challenging, but I took away skills from it and patience that will benefit me for future projects.