Woman Averts Eyes

A study of a photograph taken by Reuters, titled:

A woman runs past people retrieving casualties following strike on a police station in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026 - Majid Khahi

A woman in Tehran averts her eyes as she rushes past people who are collecting the dead.

Study: Oil (11×14 hardboard panel)

Although a high resolution image the exposure and lighting lacks detail suitable for a portrait. Increasing the exposure highlighted contours in the headscarf but shadows in facial features were grainy and bleak. I tried to envision the scene as Tamara de Lempicka might have. I applied lessons learned from the Young Ladies study to the headscarf but fully committing to the Art Deco style left me short of imagination. I feel I had some success in highlighting the beauty of the subject without diminishing the somberness of the moment.

Headscarf:
Ultramarine Blue
Alizarin Crimson
Titanium White

Paint applied and mixed on panel. Blue+Crimson excellent dark shadow.

After a road trip, approx. 10 days, Safflower Oil applied to dark and light areas leaving midtones muted.