Last month's newsletter, which highlighted my painting process using an 8x10 head study as an example, was a huge hit with all my readers, so I've decided to make this a regular thing. I am continually striving for a fresh and exciting look in my artwork, and this month, I'd like to talk about the "unfinished" look, which is extremely popular and sought after by art enthusiasts. Painting icon Richard Schmid writes in his book, Alla Prima, that "stopping in the early stage of a painting is frequently a good thing. Many strongly-painted but less finished works are more interesting thanks to the implied power in the sureness and accuracy of what is there." Sureness and accuracy were indeed the qualities I strove for in the portrait entitled, "Red Dress."

This painting was completed from several life sessions. I originally started working from this model using a 12x9 panel. After 20 minutes, I decided the model was simply too lovely to represent in just a head study. I switched to a vertical 26"x14" canvas, and moved to a profile view. You might also note that in the painting's earliest stage, the model wore a blue top. The next week she came in wearing a red dress, and that changed the entire feel of the image!

20-minute head study

The next stage of the painting consisted of layering more paint, changing the color of the dress from blue to red, and getting more accurate skin tones. I also solidified some of the anatomy, including structures like the cheek bone, collar bone, and hand. I continued using a large brush in order to get a lot more paint on the canvas and not become too nit-picky with detail work.

The final painting was left painterly and loose, as the model's likeness is captured perfectly and the painting has a delightful, fresh feeling to it.
 

"Red Dress" - 26x14 - oil on linen - Available

I hope you've enjoyed seeing another painting's progress from start to finish.
Thanks,
Anna Rose Bain

http://www.annasblankcanvas.com/