Damien-WIP

[vltz]

I just finished a graphite commissioned portrait so now, hungering to play with my color pencils again, I've begun a new cp portrait using a rosy taupe Canson Mi Teintes paper and Prismas.....just thought I'd scan and upload the process and hopefully I'll remember what I've done as I go along.....I find that I get 'lost' and end up just grabbing pencils and working without paying attention to what I'm doing.

I couldn't get a good scan of the initial charcoal outline--it was too faint to show up on the toned paper. This scan is after I've lifted the outline with a kneaded eraser and placed white in the highlighted areas and tuscan red in the dark.

V

[larsnip]

Hi Virgina!
Looks great so far, somethins goin on with that lower lip tho, hard to see it at this stage

did you post the commissioned drawing anywhere?

Dave Larson

[Zoo]

I admire anyone who can do portraits and envy those who do them well...you fall into the envy category :) Even at it's beginning this looks great to me...looking forward to watching your progress :)

Zoo

[chatfieldstudios]

Looking forward to watching this develop! Thanks for sharing your process...love your portraits :)

[vltz]

Hi Virgina!
Looks great so far, somethins goin on with that lower lip tho, hard to see it at this stage

did you post the commissioned drawing anywhere?

Dave Larson

Dave--you always pick up on the thing that bothers me too!
:p I'll fix the lower lip as I get more into it......

The graphite portrait I just finished is at:
http://www.virginiatupper.com/WIPdon.htm
V

[vltz]

Thanks Cindy and Zoo.....I'll try and work on the portrait today--don't know how much I'll do as my 5 yr old is feeling sick..... :(
V

[GenineAnn]

Virginia what an excellent start you have. Damien looks great! I agree that something isn't right with the lower lip but you already know. Sorry your little isn't feelin up to par.

Can't wait till the next installment.

[gealflings]

What a great face he has.. So full of character (add a set of horns and he could be a satyr for sure.. heheh) and mischief. I really like this just like this - I'm eager to see what you will do with it from here! :D

[vltz]

Virginia what an excellent start you have. Damien looks great! I agree that something isn't right with the lower lip but you already know. Sorry your little isn't feelin up to par.

Can't wait till the next installment.


Thanks--haven't worked on it all day because my daughter has kept me busy...she hasn't been able to even hold down water! But, she does seem stronger tonight, even asked for soup so maybe she'll be better tomorrow.....
let's just hope my other daughter doesn't pick it up! :( :(
V

[vltz]

What a great face he has.. So full of character (add a set of horns and he could be a satyr for sure.. heheh) and mischief. I really like this just like this - I'm eager to see what you will do with it from here! :D


You've stated my own fears!! I like it too and I hope I don't ruin it.......
V

[vltz]

2nd scan

Managed to do a little more now that I don't have to chase my daughter with a bucket anymore ;)

This scan shows that I bridged the tuscan red and the white with rosy beige and pink rose; darkened the darks with light and then dark umber.
V

[gealflings]

Excellent.. I really like the eyes - I covet his eyebrows.. I don't think they'd look great on my pixie face though.. lol

[vltz]

Thanks Sarah!

Here's another update. I tried to warm things up with peach and cream then tried to tone down the orange with deco pink; darkened the darks with sepia and now it's a bit too dark in places....will keep working at it.......
V

[arlene]

not too dark at all...keep pushing it.

[vltz]

not too dark at all...keep pushing it.


Thanks Arlene.....I'm trying......

Here's the latest update.
V

[vltz]

Only had time for a couple color additions (2nd daughter sick now, and hubby too, flu bug--I'm probably going to be next)....anyways--I added tuscan red to dark areas, then indigo blue to hair, brows, eyes, jawline, mouth.

Not quite sure what I'll be doing next other than toning down the teeth, working on the shirt......

V

[gemmag]

Wow, this is incredible so far!! I'm really enjoying watching the progression on this portrait.

Gemma

[bearded bob]

Wonderful V :clap: :clap: A very impressive portrait, that captures his personality very well - those eyes - "How Youuu doin!"

I do think the teeth are whiter than white at present, which makes them very flat in a very well rounded face - but I know you will fix this.

[gealflings]

Wonderful V :clap: :clap: A very impressive portrait, that captures his personality very well - those eyes - "How Youuu doin!"


ROFL!! That's it EXACTLY!! hehehehe

All right, V, my 2-year-old boyo absolutely loves this. As we all know, of course, 2 year olds are the ultimate authority on EVERYTHING, just like teenagers. He keeps going over to my computer and staring, saying "Cool guy! Cool Guy!" ROFL He did the same thing on one of Sue Irish's pictures and terrorized me about it for weeks.

hehehe :D

[vltz]

Thanks Gemma, Bob and Sarah!

I haven't touched the teeth yet except for putting a wash of white on them so they still need modelling!

Sarah, that's SO cute about your son! I bet he'll be an artist, if he isn't already!!

Hopefully I'll be able to do more on it tonight.

V

[arlene]

hey it's looking great...just push the value a bit darker under his chin and along his jawbone.

[Anita Orsini]

Add me to your fan club. Coming along so nicely.
Anita

[GenineAnn]

V, you've really got a handle on all the aspects of this portrait! How is your bunch feeling today?

[larsnip]

This is lookin better all the time Virginia, but I knew it would, still something goin on with those lips, or maybe its just me

[Meisie]

This is an incredible portrait! I love how it is so realistic, one expects him to start talking any moment and yet it has a painterly quality at the same time.
Double WOW! :D
:clap: :clap:

Meisie

[vltz]

Thanks everyone! Another small update....I used a touch of black to the jawline to push the darks as Arlene suggested--I also put some in the hair and brows. After that I put raspberry all over the mid-tones, darks, and a touch to the background. Then I touched up the whites on the lighter side of the portrait.....still have a long ways to go.....and I'm still working on the mouth, Dave.....

I think the flu bug is finally leaving....one daughter is back to her naughty self; the other daughter, though sick on the couch, is strong enough to fight with her sister; and dad managed to get up after lunch, moaning and complaining....

So--the only one left now is me and I've yet to feel sick other than stressed from everyone else calling 'Mom' constantly.....the jitters got to me yesterday and I dropped my scanner with the Damien drawing--shriek! Thankfully the scanner is still working but I put a crease in the paper, top right, so you can see a darker area there in the scan.......

Anways--tips, C & C very welcome.........

[pinkrybns]

This is so wonderful! :) love the color choices :clap:
I am so amazed at what you can do on Canson paper..it doesn't like me that much...lol

Is this the same son with the "wild hair" all grown up??? The eyes are marvelous.


~Judy

[vltz]

This is so wonderful! :) love the color choices :clap:
I am so amazed at what you can do on Canson paper..it doesn't like me that much...lol

Is this the same son with the "wild hair" all grown up??? The eyes are marvelous.


~Judy


Thank you--Canson doesn't give me much trouble--sometimes near the end of a drawing though it can get ornery......

Not the same son--it's the older brother! This is my first born son who will turn 29 next October; the younger 'wild hair' son is 20; and my girls are 8 and 5....

V :D

[Wilma Jean]

Hi V.....this is wonderful, Really like your style. You ready to do a pastel/cp? Carley has a project on Front Page for doing pastel washes using water or alcohol as an underlayer for pc. I never found Kimo's thread you mentioned but found a tutorial in one of the Challenge threads that has one. Maybe using the pastel washes would not aggravate your allergies? Hope your family is better.

Wilma

[vltz]

Thanks--yes, family is better...not totally 100% but give it another day.

As for me--well--are you ready for this? Last night I added the following colors to the portrait: greyed lavender, dark brown, carmine red, dark purple, mineral orange, cloud blue; added more raspberry, indigo and white......

THEN--not liking any of it--I took blu-tack AND my battery powered eraser to the whole thing.......kamikaze!!!!!!!

Alright--a bit calmer today I blended in some of my mess with my blender pencil.

Here it is--C&C welcome!!!

[arlene]

it looks good to me, whatever you did...and i know about thinking i've ruined something! LOL

One small nit pick? Literally so to speak? The light spot under his nostril right now looks like he needs a keenex. :rolleyes: might want to tone it down.

[vltz]

it looks good to me, whatever you did...and i know about thinking i've ruined something! LOL

One small nit pick? Literally so to speak? The light spot under his nostril right now looks like he needs a keenex. :rolleyes: might want to tone it down.


I saw that in the scan too -- thinking of leaving it :evil: haha--not! :D
Yep--I'll fix that along with a dozen other areas......
V

[larsnip]

Man Virgina, this is looking awesome :clap: :clap: , I think you've got the lips handled,Great job but one other small thing bothers me
His nostril, it seems really small?


Dave Larson

[GenineAnn]

Jeeze V, you sure can handle everything at once girl! From sickness, to falling scanners to a complete re-do on a port.....you're something else. He looks great. Handsome man.

[bearded bob]

I don't know what you did V but it worked! How do you get such amazing flesh without using flesh colours! This is incredible. And the teeth are just right now too :clap: :clap: :clap:

[marilyn h]

Now this is down right wonderful. You have done so well. What a great WIP. THank you for sharing

[vltz]

This is what I've done since the last scan:

Scraped with a razor in the hair, sideburns and eyebrows; took dark purple, tuscan and indigo to all the dark areas; took my electric eraser to the background a bit; sprayed with workable fixative.

Then added more tuscan, black grape, indigo and finished up with scarlet red and touched up the whites; sprayed again.

I can't seem to get that nostril to look any better.....and the Canson is starting to rebell.....

If you can see anything that needs touching up, please let me know and I'll try to adjust it...other than that, I think this one is done.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments, advice and for holding my hand along the way. :)

V

[Bcoulter]

I'm a newbie and hesitate to mention anything but the dark shadow in the inside of the ear almost looks outlined to me, I'd try to soften it some.

Great job! :clap: :clap: :clap:

[vltz]

Thanks--it does look like an outline--even in the photo reference....I'll look at it again .....

V

[frida]

Fabulous portrait Virginia! :clap: It's wonderful!!! Love the lights and darks, the smooth and sharp details... all of it!

And you used Canson MT??? :eek: I will read the whole thread again to follow your colour selection... The whole progression makes a great WIP thread.

Thanks for sharing!

[vltz]

Thank you--yep, it's Canson MT!!
V

[vltz]

Just a note:

The portrait "Damien" was accepted into a Juried Exhibition and will hang in the Moncton City Hall Art Gallery for the month of July! :D

V

[CAULFIELD]

V - I'm glad you put this back at the top. I've been leaning towards working in this method - colored paper - starting with the lights and darks. I'm glad I got to see it.

& Congratulations! :clap:

Nicole

[pencils4me]

Just a note:

The portrait "Damien" was accepted into a Juried Exhibition and will hang in the Moncton City Hall Art Gallery for the month of July! :D

V

V

how in the heck did I miss this the first time around? Geesh it's wonderful! Congratulations on the entry!!

Good for you!

TJ

[vltz]

Thanks TJ and Nicole!
V

[sunnyday54]

Congratulations V! I followed this the first time around - what a terrific painting!.

Lynda

[vltz]

Thank you!
V

[chatfieldstudios]

That's sooooo great V!!!! This is a wonderful portrait and I can see how it was selected....what a great representative of the work that colored pencil can achieve! Congratulations!

[frida]

Absolutely deserved! CONGRATULATIONS!!! :clap:

[vltz]

Thanks Cindy and Raquel!
V

[hans.kok]

I'm enjoying this very much, wonderful to see your work emerging. I'm learning a lot here. One question: shouldn't there be shadows on the teeth at the corner of the mouth? Perhaps not if the lighting of your ref pic was straight head-on flash, but from the rest of the painting I'd say this is not the case. Looking forward to the next stages!
Hans

[hans.kok]

Sorry, I just saw that I reacted without seeing the next pages int he thread :rolleyes: My comment has already been given and taken care off very well. So nothing remains to be said except that this is a really wonderful thread and I enjoyed to see the differnt stages of your work so much. Thanks for sharing!
:clap: :clap: :clap:

[vltz]

Thanks! :)
V

[larsnip]

Congratulations Virgina! I have to say its most deserving


Dave Larson

[DSmithlady]

I really admire your painting and you perseverance.

Congratulations Virgina! :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Beverly_A]

Fantastic Virginia!! Congrats!!!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/30-Jun-2004/33973-bigdance.gif

[arlene]

Wonderful News Virginia. congratulations

[vltz]

Thank you everyone! You were all there for me as I worked on this one and I really appreciate everyone's comments, crits and encouragement!
V