Three-peat - WIP - FINISHED!

[prashant11]

This is a big project for me as it's 3 faces and it's large at 18x24. I'm looking for some C&C as I go along and share the progress.

This is on Canson MT "Tobacco" colored paper with mainly pencils for the faces and I plan on using soft sticks for background and clothing. I do wish at times that I started of with Uart paper as I had a good experience with it and I'm running out of tooth easily with Canson. But I've used Canson for portraits many times before and so I went with it this time.

Here is the ref pic and progress so far:







As always I'm struggling with what exact colors to use but I think it's coming along ok. C&C welcome.

[Turpintine45]

Wow you have taken on quite a challenge and you have a great start. My only comment is the first chap ( sorry not a sports fan so have no idea of names) has a lot more dark purples in his skin tones than the other two. I also think his eye brows have a little more upward tilt than you have. You are really doing a fantastic job though!

[Rockport123]

Very challanging subject, but so far so good.

[spirothet]

Wow! I'm very impressed! Great challenge and good start!

[dobber]

Wow! I think you are off to a great start. I also love Uart but like you I have always done portraits on Canson. I do so little portraiture that I have never been brave enough to use sanded paper.

[prashant11]

Jen - Yeah that's Michael Jordan and he has a darker skin with more contrast. I'm using dark purple for shadows instead of dark browns and so far it looks ok. I looked at the eyebrows and agreed with you and just made them a little higher. Thanks.

Rockport, Cali, Dobber - Thanks. This is going to be slow progress. About the sanded paper for portraits, since I use pencils for portraits, I feel that sanded paper won't really work well with them. But I do want to try it one day soon.

[allydoodle]

This is looking wonderful so far Prashant. I like the skin tone you've got so far, I'm eager to watch your progress!

I use sanded papers all the time with my pastel pencils, it works great. There's really no difference between the pencils and the sticks, and I find I really like the way the pencils work on Wallis. I haven't tried Uart yet, but I'm sure they would work just fine on that as well. I highly recommend trying it! (I use Canson also, the sanded papers just provide a very different feel. And I like the fact that I can easily make changes on the sanded surfaces, and with commissions that's a good thing.)

[prashant11]

Chris - Thanks. I thought that sanded paper might eat up the pencils quickly and also not fill the tooth as easily. I will have to try it for the next one.

Here is an update. Jordan is pretty much done and Scottie Pippen (the middle guy) is taking shape. I'm finding the likeness very hard to get for some reason (I think it's the lips). I've never had this much difficulty. I guess the angle and his facial features are making things tough for me. I've erased and redone this couple of times and I think this is the closest I've gotten.

[prashant11]

Made some progress finally. Got Pippen's lips fixed and Rodman is about 90% done.

[*Marina*]

Prashant, looking great so far, I admire you for doing it. Looking forward to the next stage.

[prashant11]

Thanks Marina.

I took a better picture this morning.

[prashant11]

Work is getting in the way of fun. Slow progress on this one but in some ways I really underestimated the amount of work involved. I finally settled on a red I like for the lettering but it's a stick and not a pencil, so it'll be fun to do the thin lines of the jersey with a fat stick.

[Turpintine45]

You are making great progress. Sure is a difficult subject but you are getting them.

[prashant11]

Thanks Jen. It is definitely taking time.

[starryonder]

It's fun observing your progress!! You're work is inspiring~

Kendal