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| I have loaded up Michael's image into
Photoshop and enhanced the image so I can clearly see all of Michael;s facial features.
I print off a 5"x7" color proof on high gloss photo paper on my HP1700
printer.
I always save the faces till last in every one of my
paintings...It is my dessert and my reward...that is how I view my process of creation.
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Now I begin drawing in the facial detail
outlines. Once I complete the drawing, I will come back later and re-examine how I
positioned the eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, moustache, lips and chin. Just looking
at the drawing in this digital image, I can already see sizing issues on the left eyebrow
and the left eye. I will correct these before I begin laying in my first wash.
I am in no hurry now. There is perfect line of a t-shirt that he is wearing under
the sweater that I will use as a transition point between the dark sweater and the
flesh tones and I will not have any concerns from bleed back. |
Water wash of the whole head and neck.
While the paper is wet, I add a transparent layer of 1. Gamboge yellow and I allow the paper to gently dry
but not completely.
I mix a transparent wash of 2.
Opera Rose and I cover the entire face area excluding the hair, eyes
and mouth.
Now a complete drying.
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3. Light
Red - Using this transparent wash I start to build some of the
structure to the face. After I do a detail wash, I like to let that layer dry
completely.
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| 4. Burnt
Sienna - I continue with this wash to identify darker patches on the
skin. Then
5. Gamboge Yellow
- I now use my Gamboge to blend the layers...a
little less transparent than my original wash.
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6.
Vermilion - a gentle wash of this beautiful red over the complete
face and neck now brings my face closer to correct flesh tone. Now I am ready
to begin cutting the facial details.
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7. Raw
Umber - I use Raw Umber to cut the shape of the eyebrows and
additional details including the dark regions of the hair
8. Vermilion - a gentle wash over the Raw
Umber to blend out some of the harshness of the darker brown.
9. Opera Rose -
a gentle wash over the Raw Umber and Vermilion to bring in a little more pinkish
especially in the neck region and the ears.
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10. Van
Dyke - I begin building the hair with VanDyke which is another brown.
I add a touch to the moustache and showdowing of the ears and eyebrows.
11. Indigo - I use
this blue base to cut the dark regions of the hair and moustache.
12. Cerulean Blue -
a gentle wash over the the pupils of the eyes and highlights in the hair.
At this point the face is about 30% complete. I still have no
real details and I need to continue to build darker regions into the face, paying close
attention to the limited light that is on his face. I will continue to build my earthy
flesh tones before using Pthalo blue and Mauves. I am beginning to recognize this
person. Good! |
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| 13. Opera
Rose - With just a light wash I begin to form the lips of the mouth
and teeth position.
14.
Light Red - a gentle wash over the the bottom lip area and upper
lip..
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15. Raw
Umber - I complete the raw facial shaping positions.
16. Opera Rose - a
gentle wash over the the Raw Umber to blend out the edges.
Now I am ready to focus on the sharp details that will make
Michael...Michael...In getting to this point, I have focused on general details, allowing
each of the 16 washes build the general features. This process works extremely well
for me. A lot of Artists cut to the chase and try to build the detail right off the
get go, only to have to work backwards and lose the likeness of the person. Build
slowly, methodically and let the paint guide you with its magic.
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17. Mauve - I lay in the purple Mauve in the shadows. There will be no more Gamboge
washes after the purples and blues go down. So I will use clean water from now on to
blend the paints to soften edges.
18.
Pthalo Blue - I use a very transparent wash of blue on all the
light areas of the flesh and in the hair and the moustache.
19. Warm Sepia -
I work the final details around the eyes, eyebrows and hair.
20. Vermilion -
I use a semi- transparent wash of red to highlight around the warm sepia and burnt
umber.
The face is now 70% complete.
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21.
Vermilion - Straight up and building the final contours of the
face and neck
22.
Indigo/Lamp Black - A good translucent wash of these two
paints well mixed and then I blend it out with Vermilion. Another touch through the
eyebrows.
23. Opera Pink/Pthalo Blue - Almost as good as Crest as I build the color of the teeth. Very
transparent washes here.
24. Sap Green -
I use a semi- transparent wash of Sap Green in the pupils...Michael has very pale
light green eyes and I want to keep them as light as possible.
Michael and Helen are dropping in this evening for a client viewing
and I will complete a photoshoot with Helen. I am really excited for this viewing.
The questions have gotten pretty scarce? |
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| I was delighted by the reaction of Michael
and Helen at their viewing...especially Helen's, since it was her first time to see this
original...I was able to complete a photoshoot with Helen and I will begin my studies on
those images tomorrow...Now I am back to drawing...I am going to finish off Michael's left
hand. I am going to follow the exact paint process as I have listed above. The
next 3 images will be at the 50%, 75% and 100% complete and I will not elaborate as I have
above. |
I have completed washes #1 through #9 in
the exact order as listed above.
For the sleeve of the
sweater, I laid in the water wash and then Pthalo blue...let it dry and then added
Prussian Blue to cut the folds and cuff of the sweater.
I will skip washes #10 through 18.
The hand is now 50% complete. |
I have completed washes #19 through #23 in
the exact order as listed above.
Now to build the sharper
details and build a lighter flesh tone.
The hand is now 75% complete. |
The hand is now complete including the
sleeve of the sweater.
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| I have completed Michael's T-shirt
underneath the sweater and the collar area of the sweater neckline. A little water
burnishing under the left eye and hair highlights. |
This is a close-up of Helen's image from
the photo. Her beautiful facial images are difficult to pull out and the contrast of
shadows would have been difficult to work with. As I envisioned her image in the
painting, I felt that a photoshoot with Helen would be appropriate and it was wonderful to
spend time with her and Michael at the viewing and for Helen to allow me to gather a
couple of dozen digital photos of her. |
As I went through the pics, this image
really spoke to me. Her gentle spirit radiates out but with a seriousness of the
moment that I felt would be important to the overall composition. As you can see
between the two photos, the face positioning is really different and it will provide me a
challenge to draw in this image into the footprint of the previous drawing...but artists
love challenges. |
The previous facial features were all
erased and I drew in the outline of Helen's face and hair all within the previous
footprint (the masked out area ). I am going to need to rework the background images
as her hairstyle has changed dramatically. I will complete Helen's hair before I
begin to correct the background images so you will see white around a portion of her hair
for a while. |
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| 1.
Gamboge yellow and I allow the paper to gently dry but not
completely.
2. Opera Rose I cover the entire face area excluding the hair, eyes and mouth.
I masked out both of Helen's pupils and her earring. I will be
using extensive blending washes in the face area since her features are very soft and I
will be using Burnt Umber and Raw Umber sparingly. Helen's eyes are even a lighter green
than Michael's so I am protecting them until I get her face built. |
3. Light
Red - I start to build some of the structure to the face.
After I do a detail wash, I like to let that layer dry completely.
I have started to build some of the hair details at this stage.
I let the painting totally dry and then I remove the pencil lines in
the chin area. I know this is something that I have not discussed during these
lessons. As your painting progresses, ensure you remove any evidence of graphite,
and be selective at which level of wash you remove the lines. |
4. Burnt
Sienna - This wash is to identify darker patches on the skin. I
add a little Sienna into the hair highlights to blend out the Light Red edges.
5. Gamboge Yellow - I now use Gamboge to blend the layers...a little less transparent than my
original wash.
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6.
Vermilion - Unlike on Michael's face, with a complete wash of
Vermilion, I complete spot washes and continue to build the facial features and hair
waves.
I am paying very close attention now to the lack of
lighting on her face on the original photo and the fully lit facial image from the recent
photoshoot. I will use Michael's the light on his face to guide me to the light
source. This is really important if I am wanting to achieve a realistic composition
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| 7. Burnt
Umber - I use Burnt Umber to cut the shape of the eyebrows and
additional details including the dark regions of the hair
8. Vermilion - a gentle wash over the
Burnt Umber to blend out some of the harshness of the darker brown in the hair.
9. Indigo/Lamp Black - Just a trace of these two mixed colors to pick up the dark regions of the
hair....I will add a lot more as I build my washes in the hair. Now I am going to
focus on building her facial flesh tone.
I erase all pencil lines on the face area after a solid drying time.
I am one of those Watercolor Artists that strives to ensure that there is not a
single pencil mark on any of my paintings.
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10. Burnt
Sienna - This wash is to identify darker patches on the skin. I
add a lot of the Burnt Sienna into the hair highlights to blend out the Light Red edges.
11. Gamboge Yellow - I now use Gamboge to blend the layers in the face...a little less transparent
than my original wash.
12. Vermilion -
I complete spot washes and continue to build the facial features and hair waves.
13. Sap Green -
I use a semi- transparent wash of Sap Green in the pupils
14. Burnt Umber -
I use Burnt Umber to cut the shape of the eyebrows and the fine lines of the eyes.
Helen's face is now 50% complete. |
I have decided to allow the light source to
highlight Helen's left cheek, her nose, lips and chin area. I will have a trace of
light along her right cheek to help define the shape of her face against her hair.
I have built the darker shadows on her face with this sequence of washes
15. Burnt Sienna
16. Gamboge Yellow
17. Vermilion - also into
her hair
18. Burnt Umber
19. Raw Umber
20. Warm Sepia
Now I will complete her ear and hair before I begin to complete the
final details in her face. |
Helen's face is now 95% complete. I
have brought some of the background details to completion also.
I am now going to bring in the Pthalo blues and Mauve's for additional
shading as I did in Michael's image. There is some work to do with the fine hairs on
her forehead area and shadowing on her neck and completing the collar.
I have to say this though...digital photos in low res..really are
not a good representation of the original. Browns do not image well as can be seen
in Helen's hair.
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