David Goff-Color Stage 9

In these final stages, the rule of thumb is "details, details,...details!  I'm amazed at how smoothly the paint flows using the "fat" medium.  Another stage or two more of details, and I'll be finished.

David Goff-Color Stage 8

Continued work on face, arms and hands.  I've moved from using Liquin to a medium mixture of Turpentine, Damar Varnish, and Linseen Oil. On the next layer, I'll move to a more "fat" mixture which includes a bigger dose of linseed oil.  

I've also worked a little on the blue areas of the background.  As I said in a previous post, I was trying to get the "green" out of the blue areas.  It's working!  Slowly, but surely.  

I estimate, I'll need a couple more sessions, working primarily on details, and I'll be finished.

David Goff-Color Stage 7

...and you thought I was almost done... Nope! I'm still going back and forth building luminosity. I applied more Vermillion Red onto cheeks, nose, earlobe and lips. Also, I glazed a little of that red on the knuckles, had and elbows. On the next layer I will glaze another "flesh" color over the red, and re-establish highlights.

It almost seems as though if I turn the light out, he may glow! This painting is fun, but it's taking a long time!

David Goff-Color Stage 6

On this stage I've worked on shadows.  I also darkened his shirt sleeves...they were too bright and detracted from his face.  Could you tell?

David Goff-Color Stage 5

I glazed another mixture of Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Raw Sienna, and Flake White over the entire face and arms.  I then added Naples Yellow into highlights and blended.  This is what I call building form with light.  Next stage, I define shadows....once again.

There is a "greenish" look in the background sky that I would like to get rid of.  I would like to replace those greenish areas with an orangish/peach color.  I'm not sure how to do this.

David Goff-Color Stage 4

I re-established shadows on face and hands with Raw Umber, darkened shadows on shirt with a mixture of green and purple (makes a nice black!!) and I glazed the entire light area in the background sky with Indian Yellow.  I then wiped out blue areas with Turpentine.   The blue was a little too blue, and I'm satisfied with how it toned it down a notch or two.  Next round will be to raise highlights.  I think it's looking more and more like "Dave!"

David Goff-Color Stage 3

I continue to build form with light.  The next stage I will concentrate on re-establishing shadows.  I'm having a hard time capturing his shirt with the camera, but I'm very satisfied with what's happening there.  I'm also pleased with his arms and hands.  However shadows need to be refined there as well.

David Goff-Stage 2

I've heard this is what the Master's called, "putting in the apple."  Basically what I've done is glazed Vermillion Red onto areas where the cartilage is closest to the surface of the skin.  This usually includes, cheekbones, chins, lips, tip of nose, and ears.  Also, knuckles, elbows and palms of hands.  Take a look at your own palms, I bet they're red!  It looks weird, but it'll be covered in the next stage with a "flesh tone."  I've also glazed some blue into background sky and red over the yellow highlights.  It looks orange to me!  Also, I've tweaked the wrinkles in his shirt.  I'm perplexed because the shirt is literally accumulating a lot of dust.  Interesting....!

David Goff-Color Stage 1

I've glazed Aliziran Crimson to the dark upper part of the background sky, Raw Sienna onto the flesh areas, and transparent yellow highlights on the bright part of the clouds. After it dries, I hope to glaze some kind of red and create a brilliant orange!  I plan to glaze Vermillion Red onto cheeks nose and lips, the next go around. This may prove to be the most difficult picture I've painted to date!  More to come...

David Goff-Penumbra Stage 2

I've entirely repainted the picture.  I continue to establish values; darkening shadows, and raising highlights until I get to a point where it looks real.  I'm at a satisfactory place now where I believe after the paint dries I can begin glazing color.  

David Goff-Penumbra Stage 1

He's coming along....  One more of the Penumbra stage and I'll begin to glaze color.  

The picture has a bit of glare on the top left corner.   Photographing stages for this blog comes with it's own set of challenges!

David P. Goff- Umber Stage 2

I've simply continued to darken shadows.  Next, I move on to the Dead Layer, in which I repaint everything you see here in black and white.

If you ever want to write a book, you must start with a chapter. If you write a chapter, you must start with a paragraph.  Writing a paragraph must begin with sentence, and if you want to write a sentence you must start with a word.  But of course, even before you write a word you must start with a letter.  I'm convinced many people never attempt to do much because they don't at least attempt to start at the beginning.  It's easy to get overwhelmed!

David P. Goff- Umber Stage 1

...and we enter into the Third Dimension. I've glazed a thin layer of Burnt Umber into the shadows. Compositionally, I've placed David's head right in the middle of the Golden Ratio. Of all the paintings I've painted so far, I'm most satisfied with how this one has been composed.

I snapped this picture of Dave, (my father-in-law) on a recent hike to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The weather had been near perfect! Just as the sun set, a violent storm appeared on the horizon. The sky turned from a Caribbean blue to dramatic red and purple. I said, "quick Dave...smile for the camera!" (I spoke this in Mandarin Chinese, so of course he did not have a clue as to what I said.) He turned and leaned against his walking stick and said, "if you don't put that camera away, I'm going to throw it off the side of the mountain!" At that moment....I took the picture. The rest is history.

(Actually the truth is I took the picture of Dave in the dining room of my home and I Photo-shopped his image onto a picture I swiped from Google Images.)

David P. Goff- Imprimatura Stage

This is a dramatic new painting of my father-in-law David Goff.  It may possibly be one of the most challenging portraits I've taken on.  Stay tuned!