Bath Portrait Course Week 5

Due to illness I missed week four and last week was half term so I resumed after a two week break. The model was the same one as the initial two weeks, and we were allowed to do `our own thing' in terms of medium and/or whether to do a full length figure or a portrait. I opted to paint in watercolour with all the others working in charcoal. I should also add this painting is on fairly thin cartridge 

 rather than watercolour paper.

In reality the eyes, and eye sockets, were rather darker than appear here so I (over) emphasized them.

Here the eyes have been toned down slightly from the previous example.

This was as far as I got by the end of the session. I don't intend to do any more although Jackie said it would be improved by darkening the clothing areas - just indicated.

Overall I was fairly pleased with the session. Next week is similar and I will probably bring watercolour paper and possibly experiment further. I have been reading the article by Aine Divine in the latest issue of `The Artist' (April 2015). She featured in Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2014 and was a finalist, although she didn't win, not surprising as the standard was amazing and other mediums predominated. I like most - not all - of what she does but her technique is completely different to Charles Reid, who is my guru, and I'm not really prepared at this late stage to completely change the way I do things. For example she uses large flats, including cheap brushes and paints on 535gsm Bockingford Not. She uses many colours with Ultramarine Blue predominant with Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Orange and two greens amongst others with lots of layering.