eye twitch engage!

there's always some part of a portrait that talks back like a little shit kid in the middle of a shit-show circus.  there's always some element that, if it were only on point, would read the whole face perfectly. you spend three paint sessions getting the layout, the proportion, the angles, the colors and tones and everything just right  and then there's the fourth session. the make or break moment. 


that's when you find the argument. 


you spend hour on each separate element of the face.
the left eye. the size. the shadows. the highlights. the crease above. arch of the brow. 
same with the right and their relation to each other. 
the nose. the bridge. the contours. the nostrils.
the mouth. the bow. the shadows. the creases.
all these elements should add up to a harmonized face.


so rarely they do.

one fucking thing.... two fucking things.... three fucking things...(ahhh ahhh ahhhh) are always off.

in the case of jill, i have no idea. it's her, but it's not her.
IT'S HER BUT IT'S NOT HER!! the shape of the mouth, the title of the head, the chin, the strength in the nose....all argue to me. there's also a disagreement in the tilt of her shoulder where her hand doesn't read in proportion because the crook in her elbow is hidden by the wand. 


i feel like i took a chance leaving the natural color tones behind and using the more veridian/green/cream tones. i took a chance making her portrait so large that it consumed most of the canvas. 

i've got less than three weeks to finish and frame this shit.

time to stock up on coffee, cigarettes, white wine, and new music.

eye twitch, engage.