Friday, November 7, 2008

Bella Donna - Stage 2 Portrait


The next step of the portrait was to go into the hair and dark shape around it and put that in. I wanted to do this like the Bev Jozwiak technique of thirds - top darkest, middle medium, bottom pale with pencil marks showing and lots of drizzles and drips and splatters.

As it sits right now, I need to go in and refine the nose shape and deepen the mouth. Anything else you see? What do you think of the drizzles, splatters, etc? Too contrived? Or does it work?

I'm going to do another one - maybe there's a looseness that comes from doing portraits this way. I'd like to find out.


5 comments:

Watercolors by Susan Roper said...

Okay...I do like the darker hair and the drips are integral to the feeling of this painting....so, I like them! I usually am not so sure about those. But, after seeing a watercolor portrait demo by Ted Nuttal I think that anything goes as long as it doesn't interfere with that important gaze of this gal! So, go forth with confidence!

Nava said...

Love how her hair blends into the background, and I personally am all for drips and spatters, so yes, I like them.

You did a great job rendering the form (nice ear! I always have trouble with ears).

Ann Buckner said...

Rhonda, wonderful sense of bright light. I light the way the hair merges into the dark background. Good work on the splatters, drips, etc. too. Will there be lost/found edges where you have the pencil lines of the shoulders?

cathyswatercolors said...

The drips,drip,drip away looks great.

RH Carpenter said...

I so appreciate all the comments and critiques and what you like (always good to know as much as what you don't like) about this painting. I, too, like the dark hair blending into the dark bg :)
Shicat/Cathy - I've found your blog now and I'll be checking out your watercolors - I love finding a new watercolor artist to share with :) Thanks for stopping by.
Nava, I thought I ruined that ear! Just goes to show that I have no ability to stand back and view it without emotion/ties: of course, I know how many times I blended, lifted, shaped that ear!