Of all the things that I draw, I enjoy people and animals the most. There is something so unique to each face, almost like sculpting on paper.This sketch is a study for a painting that I will do, most likely still using a limited palette, as it suits itself so well to skin tones and limits my decision-making as well!
I did this quick sketch on brown paper with coloured pencils, very loose. I like studies and look at them as warm ups for the real thing. It gives me a better idea of what I'm trying to achieve in terms of the under drawing and I often use the studies as the basis for the painting and refer back to it often as a guide.
The head shape for this gentleman is different and looks a bit off in the drawing. In fact the back of the skull is rather flatter than usual and I may adjust that in the painting.
Roland is one of the choices for September's portrait challenge at WetCanvas. Its not as good as having a live model, but the next best thing when I just want a face to play with. I'm always looking for new faces, so if anyone wants to be immortalized, feel free to contact me!
7 comments:
I was just thinking about sculpting while doing a portrait this weekend - it is very true. I think it's like that quote I came across last week, "don't paint a picture of a man, paint a man."
I love seeing your portraits Jeanette. As much as I like the fish you've recently done, your people will always be my favorite. That one of the little girl dancing is probably one of my all time favorites of yours! :D
Would you mind sharing your limited palette - or at least its' strategy in colored pencils? A cool and a warm of darks and lights?
I think this study is worthy of signing and framing, Jeanette! If it were me I'd leave all the graphite lines and everything. The shape of his head, even if not accurate, is interesting.
Yes it is rather like feeling your way around shapes rather than drawing sometimes isn't it?
The child dancing will go off to my friend whose daughter it is as a birthday gift. I now need to do one of her son or there could be war :)
In this study I kept colours simple. The warms were yellow ochre, raspberry, and venetian red with some sepia very light.
The cools were blue, purple and a light pink which you usually think of as warm, but in this instance on this paper becomes a cool tone.
Colour mixing and overlays changes some of the cools into greens as well.
My painting palette will like be the Zorn one - yellow ochre, alizarin red, ivory black and titanium white. I'd encourage you try it, its surprising the range of values that you can obtain with it and its great for skin tones.
I love drawing older people who have some character in their face Billie. This gentleman's head in reality is rather flat at the back and it never looks quite right but I'll work that out in the painting.
And I like loose studies that often do stand on their own as pieces. Seeing the construction of a drawing still within the piece is always interesting.
I think this does stand on it's own as a finished piece. And I've seen men with heads shaped as in your painting so you may not be off or maybe not off as much as you think.
I always look at your new work on the Yahoo Pipes and intend to pop over and comment but am usually just flying in and out. What they say about time going faster the older you get is certainly true.
Anyway, it's all gorgeous (well, the subject of your dark painting is a little scary but I do like the technique & idea behind it!) The little girl's mother will be thrilled with that portrait - children make the most adorable paintings! Wish I had an interest in portraits (human ones) - or at least enough interest to put in the work of learning to do them! Think I'll keep on with flowers and leave the portraits to you!
Thanks Jeanette! I have been experimenting with the Zorn palette in paint - it is very impressive. I'll look at my CPs and see what I can come up with.
A wonderful sketch. He does have an interesting face. I think his profile is definitely worthy of a painting. :-)
I can't say anything different but to agree with everyone about how wonderful your art work is. I always feel like a sculptor when I am doing a rendering of my subject with graphite or charcoal. It just seems to come out from the paper as the piece progresses.
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