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  • #457587

    I attended a workshop this week with the Australian portrait artist Cherry Hood.
    https://cherryhood.co

    She teaches an interesting technique with watercolour- which is not my chosen medium- so out of my comfort zone in many ways.
    She uses a very specific method and has a different viewpoint than me about painting portraits. It was such a fun time and I had a really enjoyable day splashing (literally) around with watercolours.
    A very co-operative model sat for the photo. :angel:

    watercolour on full sheet 76cm x 56cm

    bethany
    moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
    website www.bethanyart.com
    My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

    #642307
    hardmoney
    Default

        Very well done!

        #642298
        Netty
        Default

            So beautiful Bethany, you have really caught the watercolour vibe 😊 beautiful model too 😉

            Netty ...... Beauty for ashes... The oil of joy for mourning...True Peace....
            https://www.instagram.com/nettykozlovsky/

            #642296

            Good work!:)

            #642306
            123harry
            Default

                Looks good. You kept it loose and lively. Reward the model with chocolate or wine……

                C&C always welcome.
                Instagram harry.hamill

                #642294

                So what is special about her technique? A fine portrait BTW.

                Doug


                We must leave our mark on this world

                #642299

                Thank you, Brad!

                Well, Netty, I appreciate the compliments- blushing with such praise!

                Thanks, Connie!

                Harry, that is what the method was- to keep the watercolours moving and softening the edges. And I vote for both- wine and chocolate!

                Thanks for the interest, Doug.
                The method is to use a mix that includes a translucent white on all the shadow areas of the face using huge brushes, lots of pigment. This means that when the darks are added on top they don’t sink into the paper and they can be shaped with a clean brush.
                Very loose and I worked fast. Big areas of wash and the edges softened all the time as the washes dry. She encouraged us to use a spray bottle to produce drips and splashes. The only details with harder edges are around the eyes using smaller brushes.
                The only real issue I had was that we worked standing and leaning over a table. Very hard on my back and knees! I am used to working at an easel.

                bethany
                moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
                website www.bethanyart.com
                My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

                #642295

                Thanks Bethany I do occasional portraits and haven’t heard of that technique.

                Doug


                We must leave our mark on this world

                #642305
                kevinwueste
                Default

                    very interesting and well done!

                    Kevin

                    i draw, paint and teach | my voice is hoarse | my shoulder hurts.
                    Talent is really a capacity for a certain type of learning of knowledge and a consuming interest in the facts that contribute to that knowledge~ Andrew Loomis
                    http://www.kevinwuesteart.blogspot.com
                    "kevinwueste" on instagram

                    #642300

                    Good to know that I can add to your knowledge, Doug!

                    Thanks, Kevin!

                    bethany
                    moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
                    website www.bethanyart.com
                    My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

                    #642308
                    michaeljarman
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                        I really like this!

                        #642301

                        Thank you, Michael!

                        bethany
                        moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
                        website www.bethanyart.com
                        My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

                        #642297
                        ppeace
                        Default

                            Fantastic painting! You know how to handle the paint. I thought those were oils at first.

                            IMHO the eyes are too sharply rendered. One of my favorite portraitists is John Singer Sargent. Check out his eyes–https://www.google.com/search?q=John+Singer+Sargent+eyes&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi74r-hzeDbAhXcCDQIHXhXC0kQ_AUICigB&biw=1257&bih=466

                            One of the most instructive directions for eyes is that there’s no white of the eyes but four different modeled grey shapes with four different grey tones. The sclera help portray the three dimensional shape.

                            I draw eyes a lot and I find it forever fascinating how the shapes of the eyes convey emotions, desires, feelings, relationships. One fraction of a millimeter difference can portray a completely different emotion.

                            Since this is a watercolor, get some water and your favorite brush…and…

                            Don’t let paint it for you. Great work.

                            #642302

                            Thanks for the thoughtful response, ppeace.
                            I agree with some of what you have commented here.
                            Although the photo doesn’t show well here, the “whites” of the eyes are actually an ultra blue/van-dyke brown mix. It was quite a strong pigment mix when I first painted them- it has faded a lot. When the shine left that area, I painted the irises. The irises are ultra blue/brown/alizarin mix.

                            bethany
                            moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
                            website www.bethanyart.com
                            My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

                            #642304
                            mburrell
                            Default

                                Very nice Bethany best of your self portraits I’ve seen.

                                My acrylic gallery of past paintings more to come. https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/topic/mike-s-gallery/

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