The Cropped Figure

I don't understand why, but I like, that is prefer, cropped figures. So I paint them. Sometimes I go with full figures but it is usually to push myself and given a choice I crop aggressively. Off with their heads!!
I really had fun with this one. At 16x 20 it is big enough to get loose but without a lot of heads and hands pretty easy to get near to completion in three hours. I wanted that apple a cool red with the flesh even cooler and the background cold. As usual I painted the shadows too dark at first but I went back and lightened them.

Larger Painting

I have been painting much larger . I find switching size is a good way to change your luck or break out of a rut. I have always done this with drawing and I have finally gotten fast enough to cover a 18 x 24 inch canvas in one three hour session. These are all 18 x 24. I really prefer painting large... it fits me better... I am a loud personality!

Ahh the little full figure! I find this is the hardest picture to pull off. Mine usually end up looking like a puppet in a box and I think I have finally figured out why. Not enough focus and subordination. I think I really have to push the color, contrast, value, what ever at the focus and

be aggressive about subordinating the rest of the painting. This is really hard to do unless you have very damatic lighting.