The last session of this demanding and enjoyable course took place last Tuesday. It was planned that the model from the previous week would again be the subject but illness intervened. As a result Jackie arranged for another lady to sit. Although some of the other students planned to continue the drawing or painting they had started the previous week, I had intended to do a new study in watercolour so was not inconvenienced.
I have to again confess I don't know this ladies name - sackcloth and ashes - but she was an interesting subject and this is the angle I chose to paint. This is a closeup and I was further away than this indicates.
Initial drawing - quite light.
Schut Noblesse 15.75" x 19.75" (40 x 50cm) Not
During the drawing and later painting part Jackie appeared at regular intervals pointing out errors, often wrong shapes and angles, and suggesting how they might be improved. When I finished the painting she was fairly positive. It isn't great but a step in the right direction.
Skin colours were my normal Cadmium Red/Cadmium Yellow mix with Cerulean to cool and darken. I added Quinacridone Rust (Graham PO48) for the shadows. The scarf was a mixture of Hookers Green (Graham) and Raw Umber (mainly) and the Reds Permanent Carmine (W & N PR N/A) with some Quinacridone Rose (Graham PV19). Highlights or shadows in the hair were Cerulean, Raw Sienna and Quinacridone Magenta (Rowney), heavily diluted. I have been looking at various other artists who paint creative portraits such as Fealing Lin, Bev Jozwiak and Win Min and intend to widen the range of colours I use. Be cruder (Charles Reid) and try and go for it!
This course encouraged a looser more dynamic approach. That's my aim in any event. I may crash and burn with many failures but no risk no gain. I look at the painting above and think maybe I should have been more adventurous. Having just viewed Charles Reid's terrific new Portrait video `Figurative Watercolours' (review very soon) the adrenalin is beginning to flow anew! .
Brushes were my Escoda and Isabey retractables sizes, 6, 8 and 10.
A view of the studio and fellow students. Neville on the left was the only other man and on average we had 8 people at each session.
I have now completed the course, something never previously attempted. I had considered taking the 5 week follow up but feel I need a break to contemplate the lessons learned and (hopefully) add something from them to my armoury. I may take another in the Autumn.
