Mike, very good progress. Viewer's left cheek, make it more rotund at the base by darkening it a bit to match the right side. Try not to blend with finger or cloth or it would look too pasty losing the character.
Yesterday, I was practicing watercolor from magazines of famous artists.
Raffine 6x6 inch 100 lb sketchbook, Neocolor 2 and wash and Daniel Smith watercolor.
These are from US National Archives Flickr site.
Tried line work with M. Graham Neutral Tint watercolor
Co Mo Sketchbook 5.5 x 8 inch
I now truly understand why some journals state it's pen and ink and light wash only. This sketchbook couldn't take conventional heavy wash and I've been abusing it all these pages.
But when I do light wash, it behaves so well.
Same sketchbook. Neocolor 2 and wash and fountain pen.
Same sketchbook. Fountain pen and Daniel Smith Payne's Gray.
This piece is in the same sketchbook. I messed up so badly I had to cover the whole thing with acrylic and then tried watercolor on top. It doesn't really work so had to go over with Faber Castell Pitt Pen - Sepia.
A quick sketch with green food coloring in a Paintastic bruch pen from Crayola. Still Co-Mo Sketchbook.
I am also trying very hard to decide if I should bring a Stillman & Birn sketchbook or an Arches Block for my landscape painting retreat. So I experiment on how much abuse each support could take.
This first one is on Arches 140 lb paper and a small piece of 2.5 x 2.5 inch only. First watercolor, then Neocolor 2 and wash, then more Neocolor 2 and Mungyo oil pastel. The paper is so sturdy!!
These two are on Stillman & Birn Alpha 100 lbs sketchbook 5.5 x 8.5 inch.
This piece is after 19th century work: Sanford Gifford.
This was on a page filled with bad watercolor trials but coated with egg tempera solution (1 large egg yolk, 2 tblsp distilled water, 1/2 tsp white vinegar). And with that solution firmly established, I could soak the page and wipe repeatedly without it breaking down. Once treated, it could rival Arches.
Daniel Smith watercolor, Neocolor 2 wet and dry and washed and scrubbed. Soaking Chinese brush multiple times for moistening, wiping, more layering. Then when it still looked ugly, I polished Mungyo oil pastel with a paper towel, rubbed it with my fingers and then scraped with the end of a Chinese brush barrel. Then some Prismacolor detail work. Amazing that it didn't fall apart at all! Now I don't even have to buy gesso after having given mine away. I don't have to bear with the brushmarks of gesso application.
This piece is after 19th century James Hart.
So now I'm still at a toss as to which support to bring.
I'm thinking of bringing a light table and collapsible chair so I could bring my oil pastels, Neocolor 2 and a watercolor palette so I could work comfortably for 2 days.
Aristotle
Linear Mode
