About James Few, PSA Expertise Painting -- Specifically soft Pastels medium. I am listed in Whos Who in American Art. Signature member of the Pastel Society of America. My paintings have been exhibited in numerous National Juried Exhibits across the US. I can best answer questions about pastels and pastel technique, My secondary medium is acrylics.
Experience I have been painting with pastels since 1980
But am no longer painting regularly.
Question I am working on a pastel portrait of my friend with a toothy smile. I am realizing why most portraits have a closed mouth. Do you have any tips for painting teeth? How to get that "pearly" look? Also having trouble with the space between the teeth
Answer My first suggestion is DON'T ! Either do it from life or take another photo when his mouth is closed. Only amateurs try to paint teeth because it's so difficult to bring off and make look right. You are correct that portraits by the best of portrait masters keep their subjects/ mouths shut. It's a dead give away that you are painting from a photograph which is a no no in some eyes. Can you imagine a subject sitting for hours and maintaining a stupid grin? Have you ever been to the National Portrait Gallery in D.C.? Please name one portrait with teeth showing.
I seem to remember seeing, in some museum, a whimsical genre painting by Dutchman Franz Hals in which one of the included subjects had an open mouth grin, but it also included a dog lifting it's leg, taking a whiz on something.
And you really don't want the "pearly teeth" look because that's the first thing the viewer's eye goes to and concentrates on.
If he insists on using that particular pose, try to discourage it because ultimately he probably won't be happy with it, even if done well. But if it's your only choice. A less toothy grin with the lips slightly parted might be pulled off. t
Use close value contrasts;
Teeth are not white and shiny. As are the whites of the eyes, they are more a lighter value of the surrounding skin. Make it a very subtle contrast difference as though they are in shadow. The space between should be deemphasized : both in contrast and in width. It will still show that aspect of the sitter's personality.
Why I don't do portraits:
You might have heard the old saying : the "definition of a painted portrait:
"A picture of So-and-So in which the mouth doesn't look right!"
And that one is the one with the mouth CLOSED!"
Tip:
Portraits from photographs : Depending on the lens used they can be distorted, particularly with a lens with a short focal length. (wide angle) Less distorted photos are ones taken, at a distance, with a longer focal length - telephoto or zoom lens .
