Thank you, folks, for putting up with my major rant about BT. I should really go and bash up some cushions or something instead of broadcasting my frustrations! It's crazy how these things get to you so much though isn't it? They do say that internet access is fast becoming as important as other utilities such as water, gas and electrickery! Thus, getting cut off can be majorly traumatic!
Anyway, here's Samantha finished at last. The scan is pretty accurate colourwise, although not terribly high quality in terms of definition. I darkened the hair and neck, adding Dark Sepia, Walnut Brown, Burnt Ochre, Sanguine. I also added more of the same colours as before to the skin tones and smoothed them out with some cotton buds.
I had been concerned that the strong blue hat might have overpowered her pale skin tones but I think her blue dress helps to balance things out nicely. One thing about sanded paper is that a lot of pencil dust is generated and the temptation is to blow it away as you work. However, it can stain the paper so I had to be careful not to get those dark blues onto the skin and hair areas. All in all, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.
12 comments:
Beautiful portrait Janet. I love the hat particularly
I've yet to use cps on sanded paper but think thats going to be next on the list of things to try as I have plenty of Colourfix/pastelmat and Fisher 400 laying around
Thanks Sue! Colourfix eats pencils but I'm smitten with it! :)
Hi Janet :)
Don't worry about the rant, I must confess that I enjoyed it hehe, you were some sorf of a 'Robin Hood' for all of us...
Wonderful portrait, I really love that little face with that cute expression.
May I ask, what did you do to get rid of pencil dust while painting? (as you said you didn't blow it... you know, it's always nice to learn things and I have a piece of pastel bord waiting for me to use it...)
Warm regards,
Carolina
Lovely portrait and true likeness of the photo reference but I think you have enhanced the overal look too. I'm sure Samantha's parents will be delighted to see it.
Beautiful portrait Janet! She looks cheeky but very sweet too, a lovely expression!
I don't mind your rant, in fact it sounds as if you are quite tolerant judging by the process they subject you to. The call centres should be scrapped and have real people working in the building (in the same country!!) who know what they are talking about. I used to work as a telephonist for a time and know how utterly frustrated people get at the end of a phone, even when you are doing your best to put them through to someone who can help. I don't see how these, or those dreaded automated answering messages (press 1 for this, 2 for that) do anything to help customer relations. Some are simply impossible to contact at all.
Thanks everyone, your comments are much appreciated. Carolina, re. the dust problem, I lifted the drawing vertically and tapped it, from time to time, and let the dust fall off. I also use Blu Tack, sticky stuff, frequently to dab off the dust from the light areas. On larger areas, smoothing the pigment into the paper with cotton buds or paper torchons helps too.
Felicity, you are so right! :)
Thank you Janet, that's really useful
Hi Janet,
This is perfect! You make it all look so easy, but I know for a fact, what you've done here is extremely difficult, and takes so much talent and practice.
I need to let you know I changed my blog address. It's now:
http://katherinejft.blogspot.com
I hope you'll continue to visit!
Lovely portrait Janet, such a lovely little girl, I really like the detail on her hat, you have done a great job with it, and the blue certainly doesn't overpower her face. I haven't tried a human portrait yet, I find skin tones daunting, so I envy those who seem to do it so effortlessly.
Thanks Katherine, I've made a note of your new blog address ;).
Thanks Bev! Human portraits are a real challenge, I'll keep practising! :)
Beautiful portrait! I especially love the texture you've captured in the hat.
Wow! I've just discovered your blog and I love your work...
I would love to learn more about using coloured pencils as mine is all pretty crude guesswork at the moment!
I shall certainly be popping back...!
Best wishes
Carrie... (Windsongs & Wordhoards)
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