Because it's a portrait I am invested in and want to get right, I spent some warm-up time during the week sketching and painting portraits of people I don't know. Before I recycle magazines, I flip through and sketch the people. Here are a few, first an ink and wash sketch, and then direct watercolor.
Interestingly enough, I think I get a better likeness with the direct watercolor than drawing with a pen. I've also noticed a tendency to see people as slanting left to right and thinner than they actually are. Maybe this is my next 30-day project....
Other than that, I've been setting up and playing with my new tablet—very carefully, until the case and screen saver arrive! So far, I'm most excited to have a working e-reader again. Here's my new friend (cuter in real life, I promise).
Interesting observations, Elaine. I think drawing with lines always looks less life like simply because there are no lines in nature, practically speaking. Watercolors have more "life" and light to them, or at least yours do. What? A blank screen on your tablet?
ReplyDeleteI really like your direct portraits. I think line drawings are harder because you don’t have the ability to create depth thru shading, unless it’s with cross hatching. But you’re so good at using watercolors that portraits are just another landscape for you! I like sketching because it’s realistic, you know immediately if you’re off base proportionally. But I really like watercolor portraits that exploit the possibilities of watercolor, ie that look like watercolor, not photo realism. I agree with pat, they have more life. But I often feel I’m “sketching” with watercolors because I want a nose to look like a nose...but your mom painting is spot on —go for it!
ReplyDeleteI loved the direct portrait; waiting to see the final on this more structured portrait. Maybe I can get some inspiration from your quick sketch paintings--I try to sit down and do a "painting" rather than a quick loose image without the gravitas.
ReplyDeleteAll this stuff on faces. So much tension to make them look so much like just like somebody. What's wrong with just having a pretty picture? I guess this is a bad attitude. Sorry, I'm just tetchy lately.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm trying for both—a pretty picture that also captures the subject. For awhile, I was satisfied that my portraits looked like A person, even if not THE person. Now, I'm upping my game and going for the essence of the subject; not photorealism, though. I agree with Sara that a watercolor should look like a watercolor, not a photograph.
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