I really liked the tinted paper for this, but am pretty unsatisfied with the result. Maybe I should try sketching a barn instead.
I couldn't help myself, I wanted to try the picture in watercolor and I still was not happy with the mouth in the drawing. I copied the drawing onto watercolor paper making changes to the mouth and began. Oh, how frustrating watercolor can be. I decided to try to save it by using soft pastels to finish. I took the photo of the two of the attempts side by side on my easel so that I could really see the differences in them.
I like the color of the pastel drawing better than the colored pencil and like the mouth better. But I still think the mouth needs work. What about you? Which one do you like and why? How would you change them? I don't think I am done with this subject yet, but I am quite daunted by it. Maybe I will do a value study of this next. I am hoping to work with Mary Hertler Tallman in watercolor some time this summer and may try this subject again at that time.
I spent much of Saturday cleaning house in anticipation of our cookout on Sunday, but did take a break later in the day to sit in the "little girls' room" to sketch the hanging basket that can be seen just outside the window. I used Caran d' Ache Neocolor II crayons. I didn't sketch it first; I just started putting color in and had a good time with it.
I need to spend an hour on the treadmill this morning as the conditioning class doesn't meet today and I ate too much rhubarb upside down cake yesterday. My dear sister-in-law, Janice, makes a fabulous cake and uses soy milk just so I can have some. Do you suppose I can blame this roll on her???
I need to drive into town later to feed and water Trevor, my little girls' cat, and then I hope to drive around Jackson a bit to take some photos of interesting things to draw. I should just bite the bullet and find a place to sit and draw plein air, but it is going to be another hot one today and I really don't deal with the heat very well.
What do you have planned for today? Are you making time for yourself and your creativity? I hope whatever you are doing, you are taking care of yourself and that your muse is not far away.
xoxo
While I think these are quite good, and I don't know if the color is due to my computer, but they both look too yellow to me. I like your idea of doing a value study - I think that will help. M & I are leaving shortly to go pick up my new ....... iPad!!!! lol hugs, nancy
ReplyDeleteI like both faces ~ and hanging basket is wonderful ~ thanks, ^_^
ReplyDeleteHad a busy weekend ~ so hope to do some creating ~ but feeling rather lazy ~ LOL ~ enjoy ^_^
I like both of these and think you did a good job. I do think the mouth in the wc one looks a bit doll-like. All either needs is some tweaking to bring in some darks and give volume to her hair and soften around the eyes so they aren't outlined. You are doing great work!! Keep going. I like the idea of now doing a value study of this - no color, just values. See the shapes instead of a "nose" or an "eye" - it helps if you can convince your brain it's just all shapes :) Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteWhen I work with students who are dissatisfied with a drawing like your portrait, I usually point out that what they are worried about is not the problem -- usually it's the thing next to it that is! in your case I suspect that the reason you are not happy with the mouth is: the whole head is facing off to the left a bit, very nice,but you have drawn the face as if it were facing directly at the picture plane! so the mouth can't work until its context is oriented to work with the overall head shape. Either that, or change the head shape so that it faces directly forward. Anyway, this is just a thought for your consideration.
ReplyDeleteI don't do the heat thing either- if I drew in the summer humid heat it would be a very unhappy, dripping with sweat kind of art. I say take the photos. Your faces look great to me-love how the hair is blowing in the wind. I have no words of wisdom for you on it since faces is one of my weakest areas.
ReplyDeleteI like your coloured pencil portrait, it's difficult to get the right skin tones on coloured paper...you could experiment on a spare bit of paper. At the moment it looks a little bit too light on my computer.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job. Sometimes when something about the drawing or painting bothers me and I can't quite put my finger on it, I will hold the picture up in a mirror. It usually helps me sort through it.
ReplyDeleteLooks great the color pencil portrait. =) I haven't tried that myself yet because I haven't got enough colors to do so. Perhaps someday, and this definitely serves as an inspiration
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