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Demonstrating
and Explaining
the Premier Coup Technique
Step 22: Model Eye Area  |
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Particularize
(Steps 22 through 29)
Now the time has come to turn a painting into a portrait. Up
until now you have been striving to state the broad generalities
of the subject — the "big truths." Now you will
concentrate on small specifics — the details of the eyes
nose and mouth. We call this final step "particularizing." |
Hover to zoom final painting |
This is a brief step in which the artist pauses
and makes a final "shaping up" of the eye socket area
prior to dropping in the eye details. Restate the darks and
develop the shading around the eye with a view to achieving
a maximum sense of the three-dimensional quality of the eye
cavity. This example may have too much final detail to permit
complete freedom in this step.
Get the shape and construction of the eye sockets — the shadows
in the 'overhang', the halftones that give expression and character
beneath the fullness of the eye muscle itself. Sargent said
that if you properly prepared the eye socket area, putting in
the actual eyes would be as easy as "dropping two poached
eggs onto a platter." |
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