Actually I was thinking 'What's Black & White & Red all Over' .... very old joke ... but probably not at all PC so I apologise
I know I said I'd do more work on 'Sax on the Beach' but still couldn't get motivated today. Yesterday I found a wonderful bright red square picture frame (with white mount) which had a big scratch mark spoiling it. I bought it for the grand sum of £3 and repaired the scratch with acrylic paint - Perfick!
So I decided to crop one of the subjects on my 'shortlist' to fit the square mount/frame and this is how far I got with her today. Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done, but you can tell when I'm enjoying a subject as the portraits just seem to flow ..... she is another member of the 'hair braider family group' and I photographed her earlier this year when she was dressing up and posing with her siblings in a side street of the old town.
I've changed the colour of her hat and fan slightly from the ref. photos and moved some of the braids which were hiding her eyes - artistic license! I'm conscious that reds aren't as light stable as other colours so am using mostly Royal Talens Van Gogh pencils which got the 'thumbs up' from Kathryn Tyrrell regarding their lightfastness and they are very user-friendly
Coloured pencil on Derwent watercolour paper - first colour layers
I know I said I'd do more work on 'Sax on the Beach' but still couldn't get motivated today. Yesterday I found a wonderful bright red square picture frame (with white mount) which had a big scratch mark spoiling it. I bought it for the grand sum of £3 and repaired the scratch with acrylic paint - Perfick!
So I decided to crop one of the subjects on my 'shortlist' to fit the square mount/frame and this is how far I got with her today. Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done, but you can tell when I'm enjoying a subject as the portraits just seem to flow ..... she is another member of the 'hair braider family group' and I photographed her earlier this year when she was dressing up and posing with her siblings in a side street of the old town.
I've changed the colour of her hat and fan slightly from the ref. photos and moved some of the braids which were hiding her eyes - artistic license! I'm conscious that reds aren't as light stable as other colours so am using mostly Royal Talens Van Gogh pencils which got the 'thumbs up' from Kathryn Tyrrell regarding their lightfastness and they are very user-friendly
Coloured pencil on Derwent watercolour paper - first colour layers
It's black and white and read all over although when you say it obviously it sounds like red. The answer being a newspaper of course. Don't think there is anything un-PC about that.
ReplyDeleteLove the hat and fan, looking great.
thanks Jo, yep it was a play on words 'read/red' simply because I'm using a lot of reds in this to suit the frame I bought ... hope it work out
ReplyDeleteYaaaay! I'm lovin' this already!
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely exquisite and will look amazing in that frame! I love the depth you are getting in your reds so far too. She has the most gorgeous profile!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be fabulous, Sue!!! Good composition, wonderful accents [the hat and fan] I really look forward to seeing the next steps with the work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment about the farrier/horse work. I agree - a narrower crop is necessary. I was trying to get the image to work in a 12 x 9 inch format, so I could mount it on that size cradled panel [ the available sizes are limited] and varnish it, but it won't work in that size frame.
Kathryn X