Portrait from life (8/11/2011)

[kirants]

So, last week's watercolor at the life drawing open studio was a disaster. Today, I decided to give it another shot. Same model, and was supposed to be the same pose. However, most from last week had wrapped up their works and were ready to start fresh. So, we all agreed on a new pose, a slightly different costume and hair set free. I found the diagonal shadow cast on her neck and downwards interesting, so tried to bring that aspect out in both the painting and drawing. How much I succeeded in that aspect, and if I could've chosen something more interesting, you guys be the judge. After an hour and a half of watercolor, I decided to set it aside and do a quick 1 hour face study.

So, this is Kerry yet again.

paper/palette info:
Paper: Strathmore Cold press 140 LB paper.
Size: ~ 18" X 24"
Palette: permanent rose, ultramarine blue
techniques used: wet on wet, wet on dry
Time: 1.5 hrs

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Aug-2011/735272-live92.JPG

Paper and tools:
Paper: Canson Medium tooth 50 LB sketch paper.
Size: 24" X 18"
Pencils: soft vine and HB General's charcoal pencil.
Other tools: Kneaded eraser
Time: 1 Hr

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Aug-2011/735272-live93.JPG

Comments and critiques welcomed as usual.

[lovin art]

I just saw this :D and commented in wc , but I am Impressed by you greatly , and not to much to judge here with this ~ you won and really great feel from both eh!!:D;)

[skappy]

both nice Kiran love the watercolor
Robert

[Laurene2]

The watercolour is inspired, Kiran! Truly well done! There's a sense of movement to the hair and the dress, but the mood is soft and romantic, and the colours reflect this. It's a very touching painting.

The drawings wonderful too! It has an old world classical feel to it. If I had one small observation (nit-pick) it would be that the shadow under the nose is quite strong. I really enjoy studying the way you choose where to add a touch of detail (hair softly suggested over her right shoulder), and where you fade out softly. That's something I aspire to, and you do it so well. :thumbsup:

[bethanyt]

Really good to see more from you- and such a successful session!
I love the watercolour- and the second has such a dramatic pose and great handling of tones.

[carolkay]

Kiran, I agree with everyone so m much. This week was a bang up d success.

The water color is beautifuly done... You sure have the meduim under control.put

And that drawing is magmigicent in my books.yoj are really a great artist !

[jjackm]

lovely model, that watercolor is nice.

[kirants]

Hi Sandra, thanks again :wave: Am glad you like them both. I came out much happier this week compared to last week.

Hi Robert, thanks for the thumbs up! Glad you like it.

Hi Laurene, thanks for the nice words. Glad you like the composition of the watercolor. Am not too happy with how it ended, because I wanted a much softer , in descript lower half, but I got carried away by what was in front of me and went a bit too detailed on the folds and creases. Glad you like the drawing also. The darkness of the shadow is a good observation, easily fixable by lifting off of some charcoal before applying fixative. Also, nice to hear some of the technicalities of execution come across to you, regarding where I go detailed/clear versus indescript/blurry, an area of great interest for me and am constantly working.

Hi Bethany, thanks a lot. Am glad you like them and think they are successful.

Hi Carol, thanks for the nice words. Glad you like them both. I personally don't like calling myself an artist, feel that if am an artist or if I produce art is upto the beholder. But your words are much appreciated and am humbled. Thanks.

Hi Jack, thanks a lot. Am glad you like the watercolor. Slowly, I seem to be getting little comfortable with the medium, in whatever small steps that is.

------------------------------------
If anyone sees this thread, I forgot to put a question in my original post. I was curious to see what is the kind of pose the lady is in that is coming across in the watercolor. I have a feeling I messed it up, but am not sure. If you could chime in , that will be awesome.

[Laurene2]

Hi again, Kiran. As I said earlier, I get a feeling of a little movement. I feel that she's holding up her skirt the way she would be if she were stepping over something, or climbing a stair. That's just my reaction :), but I guess she could also be sitting.

[luicre]

Kiran I love this watercolor and the charcoal drawing has good darks and shapes.

Saludos

Luicre

[Indiana Kate]

Nice job, Kiran! Nice negative definition of her left hand and forearm. Do you draw in pencil first for your watercolors or do you start an outline with watercolor and a small brush?
Kate

[Descartes]

I love the combination of soft and hard edges in the watercolour. The pencil drawing has good shapes and the light is well modelled. I have a niggle about the base of her nose and upper lip on the drawing: I think the vertical cast shadow edge is emphasizing the distance between them (and also making her nose more prominent). It is only a few millimetres though.

With the pose she appears to be leaning forwards. Not if that was what you were asking.

[maxG]

Very nice work :)

[wandathefish]

Hey Kiran, I think you are coming on apace with the wc, I love it, all the overlays, she appears to be sitting to me. The charcoal? is wonderful too and I am having trouble seeing the far cheek so its something about the cast shadow under the nose being so dark and not enough definition of the cheek, I think, ha. although all in all the dark light patterns in this drawing are very effective.

[kirants]

Hi Laurene, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the pose. From what you say, I clearly have messed up the lower half, just as I had suspected. It helps me plan my future ones better.

Hi Luicre, thanks for the nice words! Glad you like them.

Hi Kate, thanks for the thumbs up! Good to hear about the negative definition of her left forearm. I wasn't sure if it was coming across, so nice to know. Re: underdrawing.. this is what has been working for me recently. I usually approach the virgin paper just as I would for a drawing i.e. I start mapping the major shapes and refining the contours of the shapes, even going as far as filling in the shapes with the shadow tones, albeit very lightly. So, in the first 30-40 minutes, I have a very light pencil drawing with major shapes and the shadows filled in. When this is done, I start lifting off the graphite , so only a very very faint impression remains. Sometimes they are even gone, but the drawing process has helped me create a mental map of the major shapes somehow. This helps me proceed with the painting. One day, I hope to be able to start off with watercolor directly.

Hi Nathan, am glad the different edges in the watercolor are working for you. Thanks for the thumbs up on the pencil drawing as well. You are right about that nose area. A perspective from the below is usually tricky for me because suddenly the underside of the nose and such are much longer than ordinary, and I might have exaggerated that unknowingly. A point to be careful of in future. Thanks also for giving your impression of the pose, that is useful. I am hesitant to ask if it looks like "this" or "that" because, it might make you see it that way after I tell. So, whatever impression you gave is perfect for me to assess where I can improve.

Hi Max, thanks for the thumbs up!

Hi Wanda, am glad you like the watercolor. And thanks to you too for telling me what sort of pose is coming across. The far cheek might be an issue with me sort of merging that tone with the background. Do you think, separating out would have helped ? This is an area which am trying to find a balance on, so your impressions help me a lot. My intention in this was to emphasize the near side of her face, so you will see a lightly handled far side ( like her right eye , forehead ) , but a prominent dark/light patterns in the near side including the cast shadows and the core shadow under her chin , culminating in the well defined dark hair near her eyes and then dropping off downwards again to a soft rendering. Just my approach....

[wandathefish]

Hey Kiran, this is a very sensitively done piece, I wouldn't like you to change anything on my impressions, ha. Pictures on the internet rarely express actuality. One thing I have learned about images is that the eye loves to complete the picture so if you can just get it started, the leap should be intuitive. How you do that is your choice.

[kirants]

Hi Wanda, no worries! I rarely touch a work done from life outside unless it is minor tweaks. I do value your thoughts because it is those that help me rectify/mould my approach as I progress. So, keep them coming.

[Laurene2]

Hi Laurene, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the pose. From what you say, I clearly have messed up the lower half, just as I had suspected. It helps me plan my future ones better.

I'm sorry you feel this way, Kiran. What I gave you was my honest feeling when I first saw your painting. Honestly, I hadn't noticed her legs at all, probably because the focus and detail are on her upper half and she seems to be leaning forward a little, hence the sense of movement. On closer viewing, it's clear that her legs are crossed at the ankles and that she is seated and that explains why no one else seems to have had the same reaction I did.

The painting is wonderful as everyone has said - one of your best IMO.

[kirants]

What I gave you was my honest feeling when I first saw your painting.

..and that's what I like about you, Laurene, and is what has helped me evaluate how and in what respects I have succeeded and fell short over the course of the 2 years you have been sharing your thoughts about my work.

I don't mind failure at all. A false feeling of success is death to progress and I don't want to fall into that trap. In this one, there are lots to like, like all of you have pointed. But, personally, I lost sight of the big picture when I was working on this. I focused on the face and when that was done, I treated the rest ad-hoc, which is bad. Personally, I don't like the squarish format to the background also. Just doesn't suit a graceful pose such as this.

My effort currently is in design and composition, and in life settings, a good plan to start with becomes important, because it is easy to lose sight of it when we look at all the stuff with light and shadow that is happening in front of us.

So, thank you and don't hesitate in being honest i.e. if you want to see better works from me ;) Just kidding :wave:

[Indiana Kate]

Thanks for the description of your approach, Kiran. No drawing first would be hard in watercolor, I think.

I'm glad Wanda mentioned the far cheek on the charcoal and you answered her. I didn't see the far cheek when I visited the first time, so I thought the head shape was off. Now that I see the cheek, I see that the head shape is right. So, you might want to create a little more contrast between cheek and background. It may, however, be my faulty viewing skills!

Kate

[Michaelmcg]

The watercolour is excellent, Kiran. I think the problem with the other one is that the value of her right cheek and the background are too similar, so it gets lost. The result is to make her look very "angular" and with a very prominent chin. I think lightening the background and darkening her right cheek a little would fix it. Good stuff!

Michael

[kirants]

Hi Kate, not your faulty viewing skills at all. I could use more definition to separate out the background just a bit.

Hi Michael, thanks for the thumbs up on watercolor! You bet, the values are too close. I need a value separation at least at some portion to help mind complete the shape. Thanks for the tips. I do have the shape outline in the drawing, albeit faint. Will use all your tips and refine it.

[wal_t]

The watercolor is nice, maybe a bit too much contrast in the face/hair, not sure. I would try to keep it it a tiny bit softer in the face/hair. But it's good stuff with this difficult and challenging medium ... regards, Walter

[kirants]

Hi Walter, thanks for the thumbs up! You are right about the watercolor. Am still wading my way through it, so your observations are really useful to assess what could be improved upon.

[LorenG]

Wow you really nailed the watercolor. Awesome!

[kirants]

Hi Loren, awesome! Glad you like the watercolor..