Luana Luconi Winner - Painting classic portraits : great faces step by step

Robert Case in Maggie Valley
Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord
20 16 (51cm 41cm)

Luana Luconi Winner

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.artistsnetwork.com

GABBY

Oil

24 20 (61cm 51cm)

ELIZABETH

Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbordsand tone

20 16 (51cm 41cm)

Silver medal, International Association of Pastel Societies

Art should make us sense something, whether its sympathy, anger, satisfaction or love. It should make us question or evoke a memory. Paintings and sculpture should encourage us to react to more than the mere material from which they are created. The portrait must depict a singular, particular life, one with heart and soul and memories and feelings of its own. Can we paint that into a portrait?

Painting great faces never loses its intrigue or challenge because even with a set, repetitive, mathematical patterntwo eyes, one nose, one mouth, two earsthe slightest change of a line or movement in the shadow will create an entirely different face. Think of it: There are seven billion people on the planet and no two people look precisely alike. We have our work cut out for us.

While an artist finds an effective way to collect pertinent data required to tell the sitters story, the preparatory sketches become key to linking the subject, her history and the accoutrements of their life into one beautiful composition. The portrait tells a story. Dont ignore or rush this vital element when you have the opportunity to get to know your subject.

Remember that during the initial sketch sitting, the subject is often fighting nerves worrying about how to remain still, how he really looks to others and how to remain comfortable and self-confident as this stranger stares and studies him in detail.

The artist, in turn, is concerned about making the subject comfortable and less self-conscious while collecting pertinent information. To paint the person, get inside his persona to tell the truest story. Do this in the time allotted and with the highest level of skill. Do not cut corners. Do the work.

Artists should always be reaching further, delving deeper, stretching wider as they attempt to attain a new level of truth and wisdom.

Here are some thoughts before we proceed:

• Decisions at the start affect the finish. At the beginning, the artist should have a clear plan. There will be minor changes of the movement of a skirt, the tilt of the flower in the vase or a touch of sunlight that has moved slightly. This does mean that if the painting is planned as a seated person with one hand on a dog, we do not, in the middle of production, take out the dog, put in a desk, and move the hands and arms. We begin a new canvas for the new image and design. It needs to always stay fresh and feel spontaneous, not overworked.
• There are no disclaimers displayed on paintings. No opportunity to explain what it should have been, what it could have been. If you are the type of person who should not be rushed, dont set a deadline. A painting that is rushed, or repeatedly changed or repaired, reveals all of that. The viewer will see the struggle. Step away and make a plan. Do a drawing again and again until you can really see the finished painting in your headthen just lay it on the canvas.
• You have looked at faces since the moment you were born. Now it is time to look into faces and souls. Do not distract the viewer with unskilled anatomy. We will simplify things into straightforward, uncomplicated, geometric shapes. Nothing will be too intimidating to tackle.
• We live in a world of amazing color, but peoples skin needs to be painted true to their ethnicity or blend of ethnicities. The color charts will give you the confidence to dive right into the painting, but remember, no one chart is going to be perfect for anyone. Take the theory, the color family and the process, and adapt it to suit your particular models needs.
• We will learn together how to tell stories in our images. How can you succinctly tell the viewer two hundred years from now who this person was and what he felt? You are recording his history. Make it count.
• Does the final painting match your perception of perfect? No? Move on! There is always more blank canvas out there just waiting for you. You will hear repeatedly, You will only be as good as the miles of canvas you have covered. So lets get started!

This arm palette by MABEF in Italy is weighted on the lower right near the thumb hole to help balance it on the arm rather than strain to keep it upright.

A working artist needs to master the medium. Because we each have little idiosyncrasies, it is important to work with different materials to determine what the best fit will be for the envisioned artwork. When beginning to draw and paint, try many new things. Go to classes and become comfortable with new techniques. Buy whatever is affordable, and as time passes and skills improve, replenish materials with better-quality pigments, brushes, pastels, grounds, etc. Once the use of materials becomes second nature, all that is left to attend to is the inspiration and creativity.

Work on paper all the time. Keep an 8" 5" (20cm 13cm) ring-bound notebook everywhere there might be a moment to sketch. Put an 8" 5" (20cm 13cm) Moleskine notebook in a carry bag, in the glove compartment, in a briefcase. Have something available all the time so you have no excuses not to sketch.

Strathmore has a wonderful array of papers that suit many opportunities. All of the 14" 11" (36cm 28cm) graphite sketches in this book are on Strathmore bristol Vellum. The oil color charts were painted on Strathmore Canvas Paper. Multiple tonal studies were done in charcoal and chalk or pastel on Strathmore Gray Scale. All are easy to carry and easy to store with glassine paper in between images.

Pencils vary from 9H as the hardest (lightest lines) to 9B as the very softest (dark as charcoal lines). Most of the studies shown use a limited number to create the values: 4H, 2H, HB, F, 2B and 6B. More can be used when completing a polished graphite drawing instead of a quick planning sketch.

A variety of charcoal from General Pencil Company and other companies provides a wide range of soft and hard qualities that provide a wide range of techniques and finishes.