Arthur step 5

What do you do when you want confirmation that the drawing is going to turn out looking like the person? You ask a relative, and if they say it doesn't look right? You do what I do and super-impose it onto the original photo. WHEW, thank goodness everything is EXACTLY in the right place. (Sometimes you can't rely on relatives when the drawing isn't finished.)

Anyhoo... here is Arthur step 5, and it will look like the photo when it's finished. If the photo isn't a good one to start with, it's not MY fault. :)

I've started adding pencil charcoal covering the background and laying in the beginnings of the dark details. Still using vine charcoal for the overall shading.



He has a kinky hair do, I'll have to do something with that. Lots more shading to come.
Pam

Arthur step 3

Here is step 3 of Arthur in charcoal.



I have switched from using vine charcoal to using charcoal DUST and a Q-Tip to apply it for shading. I then use a kneadable eraser, rubber eraser and electric eraser to remove charcoal where highlights are needed. I have also started using charcoal pencils to darken the really dark areas without creating a lot of loose dust that will fall off the drawing.

Much more to do but it has to be finished in a few days.

Pam

No Exit is Done

I'm not happy with this creation, but it's done.

No Exit: finished. The fixative did weird things to the pastel on the top layer, so I won't use that again in my mixed medias.


Pam

No Exit step 4

Let is SNOW, let it snow, let is snow. :)

It's not xmas yet but I was so happy to see the snow stay that I put my xmas music on the CD player. :)

Back to the painting:

I'm at the point where I don't like this one anymore. That usually means I'm close to being finished and moving on to something else. I enjoyed experimenting with different mediums on this one and wrote a list of what works on top of what.

Bottom Layer: graphite and india ink
Middle Layer: watercolour and colour pencils
Top Layer: pastels and colour pencils

I'm going to finish the angels, back chains and left headstones, and spray sealant on the piece.

Step 4:



Pam

Arthur

Now, this is a secret so SHHHH if you know who this is. :) It will be a gift.

Step 1:
Just drawing in the basic layout of the picture and deciding how dark to go.



Step 2:
Starting on the facial details. Trying to position the eyes, ears, and nose correctly. The eyes are different than in the original photo. It looks flat until I get all the shadows and highlights in.



Pam

Step 2 & 3 No Exit

Last night I worked on No Exit. I hope to have it finished quickly so I can get on to more important work.

The center details were put in with india ink and a small brush. I started the side angels in watercolour washes and laid more washes of colour on the stone itself.

This morning I am working on the background in coloured pencils and washing it with odorless varsol to blend the layers.

Step 2:


So I did some more work on the stone and grass, a little on the background but it was still damp.

Just washes of watercolour to darken the stone. It needs many more.

Step 3:


Pam

No Exit step 1

This painting is being done for a themed exhibition, "Signs & Symbols" for the Porcupine Art Club.

I don't want to have the theme seem overbearing in the painting so the sign is understated. You will see it in the background, soon to read "No Exit". I've been wanting to paint this theme since seeing the sign in the cemetery 2 years ago, although this is not the same cemetery.

All I want the viewer to see is a beautiful headstone and then as the viewer's eye travels around the painting they will see the No Exit sign and interpret it on their own.

Step 1:

I gridded out the picture, after many changes in composition, and drew the outline of the stone. There will be an marble angel on each side of the stone when finished.

I painted all the darkest areas with waterproof India Ink. After drying, I started painting with watercolours over top of the ink. When all the painting is done in watercolours I will do the touch up's in coloured pencils. I have already started putting coloured pencil work over the India Ink in the trees.

The most difficult painting will be the intricate work on the front/ top of the stone.


Pam

I attended a weekend watercolour course taught by my sister, Ellen Catherwood CSPWC PSC NOAA, last weekend. Check out her website.

NO... I am not a watercolourist, or a still life painter, but I do want to use watercolour in my mixed media paintings.

I won't bother showing you the watercolour at the state it came out of the workshop but I have since attached it to a board, added colour pencils to the mix and started to varnish the work. I'll frame it in a few days after many coats of protective varnish.

Reflections

Next, on to another charcoal portrait.

Pam