Grandmother Elizabeth
Looking through a cabinet in my home that contains old family photos I came across a beautiful hand painted photograph of my grandmother taken in the 1920’s. She was a young woman then and the photograph is approximately 100 years old now. Because it was a professional photo the lighting was lovely and all the values are easily seen.
When drawing a portrait posthumously it is important to see clearly the light, dark and mid tone values of light. Recently I read “The Art of Seeing”, Everett Raymond Kinstler on painting, by Michael Shane Neal. This book gives John Singer Sargent’s opinion on the value of mid tones which he calls, the “great silent parts.”
This family heirloom photograph of my grandmother Elizabeth, was a study in midtones. Her hair style was amazing and a lovely example of the styles of the 1920’s and 30’s, capturing the subtle variations of value. Drawing her with charcoal was an exercise in slowing down and carefully rendering the magical mid tones.
I hope you will have a chance to study some antique photography and appreciate the artistry of the “great silent parts.”