Here’s my color study and my sketch using those colors.
Here’s a second study I did using my usual portrait colors. (I’m only realizing now that I have usual portrait colors….) The pose is cropped quite a bit from the first one. I gotta say, I like the combo of watercolor and pencil lines, especially around the hands. I want to do a larger version of this, drawing on the watercolor paper, with pencil, but that can go wrong in so many ways and I hate to erase on we paper. Maybe I still need to draw it on tracing paper and then transfer it to the we paper and pencil over it. Such a process….!
And finally closure on my friend’s daughter’s house. I’m giving this to my friend on Tuesday. I ended up cutting it down to 8x10 from 9x12, even tho the trees were my favorite part….no more house portraits for me….
Why not? The house is lovely and not many people have an artist who can paint their house so lovingly. I say don’t worry about the pencil lines. Look at some of Walter Anderson’s work. The pencil lines are a vague guideline for the actual work and he is non-apologetic about leaving them there. I erase all the time using a really good eraser that I found working with Arthur Anderson. I do not find that I ruin the paper (like other people tell me). Of course I’d like to leave the paper pristine but I’d have to be a better artist for that to happen. But doing it makes me better. So rock on! I love your portraits.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for leaving the pencil lines on the paper. It's like when you buy a used book and someone has underlined stuff and written little notes to self in the margin. They do not distract from the image, they bolster it and add that personal touch which is so welcome. I remember commenting as i was passing by your table Saturday on one of my missions of promoting good art, and I said something along the lines that your sketches were so strong that your painting could not keep up. But in this current painting of grand and kid, I think the paint stands up very well. I would like to think it was my inspiration, put perhaps I am giving myself too much credit.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued and inspired by your color studies. I can see why you have a favorite set for portraits, though. After a lot of trial and error, they simply work best for you. Makes sense. As for the art, I love both the girls' and the house portraits. Cropping was a good idea. It makes the house seem grand and heroic. As for the portrait, I love it. And I love your pencil lines. I think your style of drawing complements your style of painting, becoming a formidable team. Leaving pencil lines on paper? Depends on the painting. In most cases, yes. In your case, absolutely yes! But sometimes, especially when the lines are too hesitant and weak and the painting too precise, then no. I saw pencil lines at some show with watercolors at the Art Institute (Sargent? Manet?) and they were bold and very suggestive--and then the artist didn't even follow them! And I loved it. It made me feel the maker's hand and thought process. So, with very few exceptions, YES to the pencil line!
ReplyDeletePortraits in this series really good. Personalities come through. House looks good. I don’t like painting whole buildings…just a certain part.
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