I think because you have the hair pulled back and the open upper chest and the pose, this reminds me of some Pre-Raphaelite style paintings in a way - even though her bare upper chest and hair style is a little flatter than in those days for fancy, fantasy ladies who reflected the styles of the moment they were being painted. Very romantic none the less, however you look at it. I doubt you were trying to get exactly that anyway, and were going for something more fresh for you, stylistically speaking.
The color and lighting makes me think of river water. There's a feeling for me of being swept away in the eddies and currents that follow and conform to her energy and moods. The long strokes have that kind of flowing, curvaceous, feminine vibe for me -- almost musical in effect of creating flowing directions. And of course one of the first things that is usually very apparent with women is the hair, so it's got a quality of the woman's hair, following it with your eyes as it surrounds her, embraces her and sets up a journey to circumnavigate.
As to the degree of finish, it's a matter of the effect you want, and how 'finished' or how spontaneous you want it to appear. This one is overall a really cool effect, but the color is a little like a green river, as I said, so it's dimmer and elemental feeling. And I think the larger strokes are perfect. The smaller ones, as around the nose are not particularly detailed in description of those shapes. So it seems like your interests were other than with a finished work. It feels slightly (because I've watched your process over time) that you were going for an overall effect, and once you nailed that look overall, then you would go in with finesse to create a more polished look in later works, or not, depending on how you regard the direction.
The cross is hugely prominent as well. You seem to have given it almost more eye-catching quality than parts of the face. I don't know why you would do that deliberately -- with the cross in the apex of the well lit V shape. If this were an illustration for a vampire book or a story of a dryad of the river or drowned lady who comes back -- where it would be very purposeful thematically in genre fiction perhaps. Other than that it gives her a sort of mixed message - that of a saint yet someone very physical as well. And for sure there are lots of women in the world who fit into that conflicted category for us poor lads who see them and have a reaction to what we see. Or even it's like looking at a river and fancying that you're seeing in it your true love. . . very romantic indeed.
"Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Caesar
Another couple of marvellous, shining portraits. I waited some time before makinh any commet to let You elaborate the mourning for Toro's bad luck at the very last minute ...Ciau né? Mi dispiace, ma al prossimo anno farete cose ancora migliori.
Cerea
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