Karen McCann, Artist
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David Clark, headmaster of Art in the Algarve (Olhau, Portugal), kindly agreed to serve as a model while I was at his school for a portrait class.
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The initial sketch is all about detailed measurements. 
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I lay a light wash over the sketch to keep the pencil from smearing into the paint. Then I begin with the undercoat on the face.
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I keep working up to lighter areas of the face and laying in the darker parts of the shirt.
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I work on the shirt and glasses for a while and spend a lot of time thinking about how to finish the face.
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Getting there, but something is bothering me about the eyes. They look jolly but lack character. The thing I like about David's eyes (and character) is the slightly piratical touch.
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I add the tiniest white highlights above the eyes and it changes everything.
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The Headmaster    
Oil on canvas. 21 x 18 inches (54 x 45 cm). $700.

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