Family portrait (wip)

[Grapes]

Here's what I'm working on now. Figuring out how to paint people in a scene.

My reference photo is black and white. The real beach is located in the Coast of Light (Costa de la Luz) which has a lot of light and almost white sand. I try to get more light to the sand and everywhere. I just noticed the sand is not easy to paint! Now my colors are dim. I don't know how that happened.
There's in the picture my mother-in-law, father-in-law, grand parents and my husband as a baby. We think that a professional photographer took this photo because the composition much refers to it.

Some areas I have painted already more layers than others. Thinking next to work on the figures on the light side. Also I'm interested in working first on the front sea shells and other sea stuff that's in there. Any thoughts about this? How to precede?
I don't think I've ever painted this many figures in a landscape.

Oil painting on canvas (low quality), 55x46 cm.

 

[Donna T]

This looks so good already, Grapes! It has a contemporary feel just as it is but I know you’ll enjoy bringing the figures to a finish. Would it help to get the sand brighter before you do the figures so you have something to compare all the other values with? Working from a black and white photo means you get to be creative with clothing colors. Maybe finding color photos from that time would give you some clues as to what your family might have been wearing.

 

[Grapes]

Donna, thank you so much for the great ideas! Yes, the sand needs to be fixed first of course and it might reflect to the skin and faces of the figures and clothes, too. One becomes blind when working on own paintings!

The colors of the structures and wall I checked from my own photos of this beach. Good idea to check the clothes and other from photos of the decade.
Your right, l'm after well rendered faces. The grandmother's feet (the figure in the left) are difficult even in the photo odd. Already having a struggle with them.

 

[Donna T]

I forgot to mention how much I like the cat; a part of the family. ❤ The feet all look good to me and hopefully you can just suggest them with a few strokes so they won’t be noticed much.

 

[Grapes]

I was thinking the same about the granny's feet but can l really do that for the reason that they are in front and so visible? Neither do I know where is my focus! Where should it be in a group picture like this?

The cat: I've given it already more layers than other areas in this painting so the cat looks a little sharp now but I can pass with razor blade or even sandpaper to soften it. I don't want the focus go down there either.

 

[Joy]

I like the composition of this, especially with the cabanas and the shadows. It seems as if the baby and man behind him (your husband and his father?) would be a good place for the focus, since the baby is most "different" to the adults and my eye goes to him. I think the right arm of baby and man behind him could be wider. The man's would be larger in width than the baby. I realize that you are still working on the faces, but baby's has some dark value lines that maybe make him look older. Children (which are hard to paint) have smooth skin and not many shadow or creases compared to an adult. The gestures and poses of the adults look varied and well done. The hair need highlights, but I know this is a WIP.

I remember a YT tutorial on beach scenes (but that was watercolor) mentioned most artists paint sand too warm, and one needs some cools for shadows and sparkle for light. Of course, that is his opinion. Maybe spattering would work, but I really am clueless about oil painting. The cabanas show they are at the beach. I never had any luck painting sand (or any landscape).

 

[Grapes]

Thanks so much, Joy! Your observations are valuable and so welcome to me. I'm struggling with sand so what you wrote above is the most helpful! I will try to paint the sand as you describe. Watercolor vids might not help in this case.

Glad to hear the cabanas look ok and they are not finished yet either. I was doubting them. I've seen in Italy these cabanas made of fabric but according to the photo ref looks like these ones are painted wood.

Your right, I should put the focus to the small boy (yes, my husband ) and his father behind. Thanks for the good observation of the width of arms
and other areas. Most helpful!

Joy, you can't imagine how much this and Donna's comments together help me to start working again on this painting.

Creative Spark is a pure gem for artists! Excellent ideas and encouragement.

 

[LizC]

You're off to a very good start, looking forward to seeing how it turns out, which I'm sure it will just fine.

 

[Grapes]

Thanks, Liz! I go forward slowly with this painting.

 

[PaintBoss]

Good advice here. I think the lady’s legs on the left are too dark. It seems like the shadow is too dark for that angle. It almost looks like she’s wearing black nylons.I would think the darkest should be under the table. That shouldn’t match her legs?
This is gonna be a cool painting!
Also, there are some AI photo apps that can put the colour back into a black and white photo. It can do an amazing job. It could really help values.

 

[Grapes]

Christine, thank you!
They do look like black nylons, don't they . Your right, I need to go down with the value there.
Thanks for the AI tip. I didn't think of that option, it didn't even occur to me. Although, I'm not a big fan of AI, I do use it occasionally for writing etc.