[Hippie]

Have not posted anything here in quite some time. Working on skills and updating portfolio and website.
With this piece I wanted to work on focusing the viewer on the figure and just hinting at the background. Let me know what you guys think.

[Francis]

Hi Mike

I did a quick version of your painting - but my disclaimer is that this is how I would do it, not necessarily the "proper" way...

I think the basic scheme is good, but the colors are getting a bit muddy in the shadow areas. I think you could keep the colors a little more clear - I went with your basic scheme, which is sort of a warm yellow/golden light coming down. I played up a cool shadow/subtle uplighting to get the "warm light cool shadow" scheme...

I think if you can keep your colors from bleeding into each other too much your image could be a little clearer - get the colors from the palette rather than sampling from within the painting, because the colors get grayer and muddier the longer you do that. I know from experience, hehe.

Helps? Crap?

[Hippie]

Hey Francis,

Thanks for the comment and the quick sketch to illustrate. I see what you are talking about witht he colors being muddy. Give me a few days and I will post a redo.
One question for you though, when you do your paining do you leave the brush opacity at 100 percent or lower it depenidng on what you are doing?

thanks again for the help