Princess Zahrah ....

I can't believe it is so long since I last updated my blog, and just when I promised myself I would post more often. I have a number of things on my easels, and they tend to stay there until I am happy that I want to do no more to them. This portrait of my granddaughter is one of them, and as I started this some time ago you may have already seen this on my facebook pages. I'll still post it here as I know not everyone goes to Fb and i'm often asked to share how I paint portraits. The trouble is I get so engrossed in painting them I forget to stop and take photos of the different stages, so there are not too many photos of this one.

This is Princess Zahrah and came about as I was sorting and filing photos. I have so many of  my little princess, but just had to stop and have a go at this one... Not quite so orange looking in real life, or maybe it's just my monitor. 

This was the stage after the initial washes were done.

For some reason I find it a bit more difficult to get a likeness with the grandchildren. I wonder when we are painting someone so close to us we know them too well. It's not so much a problem with drawing them out, but when it comes to painting and choosing colours that's where I tend to lose it a little.  

I have decided as much as I can, to start using more of my own references. I'm so grateful to generous photographers for sharing photos, but I recently found I couldn't enter into a competition as the ref used wasn't my own.

Before I start I usually block out the background in photoshop so i'm not distracted by it, then I print it. I'm finding as I'm getting more experienced with drawing portraits I don't worry about the need of the ref to be the same size and can draw it in a different size if needed. I can never emphasize enough how important drawing practice is, I know how valuable I have found it to be and when I actually started to listen to others telling me so and doing it, I'm amazed how much i've improved.
 

Here is where it still sits. Some opinions are, that it is done, i'm not to sure on that yet. I know I still have to darken a few touches here and there, like the inner mouth area. Although it doesn't show to well in this photo, some of the areas in the hair are a touch darker and probably not quite so orangy. I do need to add some more wispy bits to the hair as well. It also need warming and more variation in the skin tones. I often see skin painted with the same colour but in different tints, you need to use colour as tone as well and that is what this is lacking at the moment.  It's also on hold at the moment as with Christmas almost here I have lots of other things on the list to finish. 

The Portrait Journey

The eyes shown in this post are from new collection of watercolour portraits I've been working on.

The eyes are almost always the first part I paint in any portrait. They are the soul of each person and the life of a painting, if I don't capture the feelings behind them, then I don't carry on with the painting, I start a fresh.

Whilst working on this new collection I knew I needed to push myself to achieve that extra something i'm always looking for each time I pick up my brush. This is part of the inspiration that keeps me painting.

As artists we need to grow continuously and we can only do this by experimenting and practice. It doesn't always result in a beautifully executed paintings, but that's the way we learn, and it all becomes part of the journey. No painting is ever a waste of time, quite the opposite, as we often learn more from our so called mistakes.  

For a long while I painted a variety of subjects, very often avoiding portraits, with an impression they were much to difficult for me, although I tried the occasional sketch from time to time.  It was mainly after the birth of my first  grandchild that I had the real desire to paint them. As artists we often change direction on our journey, enjoying various subjects along the way. Somewhere along that road most of us get drawn to a particular subject, one we really enjoy painting more than any other, one we feel more passionate about and become more inspired by, for me that subject is portraits.

As I have never had any formal training and am entirely self taught when it comes to portraits, it really has been down to lots of practice and experimenting, and most importantly the desire to paint them. I have however watched the endless free videos on Youtube that are so generously given by artists of all levels and will always be grateful for those who share them.

I would say the biggest help to me has been the studying of features done mostly by pencil artists.I can't stress enough how drawing skills comes in to play.  Becoming more comfortable with the understanding of a feature such as the eyes, along with being able to draw them reasonably well each time, leaves your mind free to paint and bring them to life. 

Practice painting just the features on scrap paper until you become more familiar with them, you'll be surprised the benefit of this when it comes to painting a complete portrait. Draw daily, even 5 min sketches and doodles, it all helps. I know I have a long way to go still and probably always will, but whenever possible I practice daily, even if only a quick sketch, and I can't tell you how much this has helped me. ....

I've written this partly as i've been asked many times how I got started in portraits, along with hearing so many other artists say, as I once did, how scared they were to attempt them and how difficult they are. They are no different to any other subject. All you need is the desire to paint them along with the discipline to practice. I don't think there is any subject more rewarding than this to paint.

Charcoal study

A quick 15 min charcoal study for a painting i'm working on. After many many years, not since school really, I picked up willow charcoal again. I've found it especially useful in art class doing life work. 

I normally steer clear of this stuff as I get into such mess, but i'm finding how invaluable it can be. A bit like working with ink, with anything other than a pen, you loose a little control, you can't fiddle. I've found this way I experiment more. Working on this gave me other ideas for the bg as well. You really have a freedom with this stuff.

 Special thanks to Babasteve for the use of his photo

 

Make a Wish....Video...

Make a Wish

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It is a long time coming and took quite a long time to edit as well. I didn't realise how hard it would be to video myself. Quite nerve racking at times, but at the same time so enjoyable. 

(Special Thanks to babasteve for generously sharing his photos)

I have made this in response to lots of requests from friends wishing to see how I work, especially painting portraits. Special friends that have supported me in my journey, this is for you with my thanks.

Make a Wish Video 

I've tried to share some of how I work in this video. Unfortunately because of the way I work there isn't any time to stop and change the angle of the video camera, or zoom in at various times. I also found once played back that I need to work on better lighting. it was quite a dark day, raining most of the time, which didn't help. It has left the painting a bit washed out, but i've shown photos of it at the end of the video which is nearer to the original. the other thing I found difficult was to talk as well, hence the music. Something else to work on for the next one.

*****

I work in various ways depending on mood and subject, this is one of the ways. Although you obviously need to learn techniques, I do believe a lot of it comes from how you feel. You need to feel what you are painting, which is what adds that something extra to it. 

I know this not a professional masterpiece, but I do hope you enjoy watching this and that it helps even a little on your journey in watercolours.

*****

I welcome you to join me on my Art Page on Facebook.

Sisters......

 

I've had some problems on the progress of the older sister. It is an old black and white photo with little detail in places. The side of her face is in heavy shadow especially the nose, and her eyes are almost shut with squinting through the harsh sunlight. I need to be careful how much detail I do put in this one. I'm going to let her sit for a while, while I think on it....

 I've brought in more colours here, including green. I'm treading very gently though with these colours..... I still need to do some more work on the hair and ribbon, but don't want a completed look on both sides of each girls face. Although I will probably put in some darks immediately next to the face and where the hair meets on both girls..... I need to let this all sit for a while now to see how much more it needs and if it's working for me.....

Close view of Jeanette .

Defining the features.......

I've been asked by friends to share more of how I work so here are some progress photos for you......

I may have lost the likeness on this a little, but am still going to finish it as it's all good practice as they say...and it's surprising how much you learn when you relax with no pressure, and often find it all comes together at the end.....

Have started painting around the eyes. For me this is the most important part of any portrait, they are the soul of the painting as well as the person. If they are wrong then I don't go on with it.

For the eyes i've also used  Burnt Umber & Venetian Red. ( Be very careful with Venetian red, it will kill your painting if you use to much of it.) 

If you look at the right eye I have placed some BU with a rigger brush.
You need to make this juicy enough so it doesn't dry instantly.

Keeping with the rigger and painting only with clean water I paint the rest of the detail in. As i'm doing this I touch the pigment already on the paper and let it flow in where ever it wants too. Do not try and control it too much. 

I carried on with a larger brush doing similar around the nose and mouth...

The area right of the mouth and nose has 3 colours in it. Ven.Red, B.Um, Per.Rose...

I pick these up as I go, no mixing on the palette or on the paper, they are placed almost next to each other and mix where and when they want too, you just have to nudge them occasionally....

.In other words, I change colour as I see or feel it. I often do this by just wiping my brush quickly across the colour in my pallet, which I have already sprayed with water before hand. Picking up different colours as I go.

 I've also added a touch more Perm Rose to her cheeks....I've scanned these steps so it shows a bit harsher than it is, it's much softer IRL.

next I went on to put some of the hair in so I can see where i'm going value wise...I don't tend to work in a technical way, more one of feelings and emotion, moving around the painting and adding colour to the next area that grabs my attention

The first wash......

After a few initial sketches I drew it onto Watercolour paper, trying to have as least pencil work as possible. There was still things I wasn't to sure on but had drawn it so went on with it, if it didn't work it would still help on colour knowledge for the next one.

I often change the way I paint portraits, depending on my subject, how I want the finished piece to work, and even sometimes just the way I feel at the time. I knew I didn't want this one to be quite so loose as I normally work, I also wanted to try and keep that old fashioned look to it, so chose my colours differently....I went with Raw Sienna instead of my preferred choice of Aureolin, Permanent Rose, Colbalt Blue, and Cerulaean Blue

This is just the 1st wash, unfortunately the light had gone and the colours are a little washed out here....

"Time to Reflect" Shortlisted....

I am so excited to read today that my painting was shortlisted in the Ken Bromley Art Supplies Cover Competition

I have never entered anything before and was persuaded to do so by some dear friends. Thank you so much to Cathy & Joanna for having more faith in my work than I do, and to all those along the way who have helped & encouraged me in my art......

Now it's up to the public to vote for their choice. I am thrilled to have made it this far so if I didn't get any further it will still be a massive achievement for me.

Life Carries on...

Firstly I'd like to say a very special thanks to a wonderfully talented photographer Russell Lee Klika for so very kindly allowing me to use his photographs as refs for paintings. His work is outstanding to say the least and I feel truly honoured at being allowed to try and capture his images in paint.

Russell Lee Klika was assigned as a photography trainer to First Army Operation Warrior Trainer program for Public Affairs. In this role he mentored other military photographers. In 2008, he was assigned as the lead photographer to the Army National Guard Bureau’s Strength Readiness Support Centre in Smyrna, Tennessee.

His work has been featured in over 35 magazines, newspapers and web-based galleries worldwide, and has received over 50 First Place honours and Best of Show designations. He is also a frequent contributor to the Guard Experience magazine. In addition he has served as production photographer for film and video. He is currently deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Bn 19th Special Forces Group Airborne of the W.va, National Guard

I took this photo with me to France where I have just spent the last 2 weeks relaxing in the most beautiful countryside. I just hope I did some justice to Russells amazing work.

It's Party Time

You can purchase all my Art & Photography as Cards & Prints in a variety of sizes from Redbubble . Some of my originals are still available for purchase. Please email me for details if you are interested.

"It's Part Time" was completely a little while ago, but is still one of my favourite paintings. I usually paint with quite pastels colours, but I felt like really going for some colour and having fun. Holbien Paints really have some beautiful vibrant colour in their range...

Pure Watercolour
FabrianoArtistico Paper
Holbien Paints....

Special thanks to photographer Melodi for allowing me the use of the photo.......