The refining of this painting was very difficult due to it’s small size. Trying to paint a detailed portrait on a small head is very difficult.
I’m saying that size matters when trying to paint high detail. I’m also going to refute my own claim by giving a good example of how skill can overcome it.
My painting is 11 inches by 15 inches and I think the head is about 1.5 inches tall. I’m finding painting detail here to be very difficult but I keep thinking about a Rembrandt painting I saw in the Rijksmuseum last year.
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem by Rembrandt is a small painting. When I saw it in person I was amazed at how small it is, 18 inches by 22 inches. And the detail of the painting is astounding. Below is the painting and if you can see it there is a white square. This is one inch square.
Rembrandt was able to paint with super high detail as well as bravado with his later works. I find this painting inspirational in it technical ability. The painting also completely refutes my claim that it is too difficult to paint a good portrait very small.
