Claudia Carr sessions

Creating space in portraits

I really enjoyed the 3 weeks of painting, life and portraiture with Claudia Carr.  This picture was a departure for me, looking with a broader vision to create a space in the picture for the subject to live and breathe in.   The main point is to be able to set the model against other things in the picture, providing contrast, tension and a space for the viewer to rest in.  The figure links with the pot and sofa on the right hand side while sitting in contrast with the light fitting in the top right.  This light fitting increases the drama in the space, making the figure doll like and vulnerable in the enlarged space (look at Giacometti paintings).

There are other similar relationships, the verticle feel of the figure and the wall buttress set against the squat box and sofa, also the contrast of the spheres and circles against the squareness of the box.  The depth of space is created with persepctive, use of shadows and reflections, the overlapping horizons of the models right leg, the box, the figure over the ball, the buttress and pot then the red sofa and finally the light fitting the top right.

You can see a larger and better version of this picture by clicking on the thumbnail in the Life page of this website.

I recommend Claudia’s work which you can see on her web site.  www.claudiacarr.com.