Thursday, December 2, 2010

A DANCER

Those who have watched this blog for a while know I've never been able to paint a good portrait of our youngest granddaughter.  Just couldn't do it for some reason.  Not for lack of trying.  I think I've tried about 5-6 times in portrait and all of them are either tossed in the trash or kept but not quite right. 

Well, I never give up.  Too stubborn or too stupid, I guess!  And I'm trying one more time...with a different photo.



I changed the dance outfit from solid black to a pretty Prussian Blue so it wasn't so stark against her skintones.  And I'm trying trying trying not to get too many clown colors in her face and keep it light (for some reason, I see so many colors in her face and I get too much color in her little girl face).

We'll see what happens...


Just to keep myself from overworking and doing too much on this one, I'll start another portrait while letting this one rest.  (This is the second version of this one, the first worked to death and torn up and in the trash yesterday - I'd made her look like a big, black toad with an overlong nose and a strange mouth.  Sometimes you have to paint a lot of dogs before you get one worth keeping.)

9 comments:

Watercolors by Susan Roper said...

I absolutely love the posture you captured in this one, especially her left leg and foot. I will be anxious to see this finished and hope that you can quit while ahead. Let me know if you are unsure and I will yell STOP!

Carol King said...

She looks like such a sweetie. I like that you are keeping at it. I look forward to seeing this finished and not in the trash.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

You sure have been working on figures lately Rhonda. Love the colour palette you use and I wish you well with your grand daughter's pose.
4 years blogging and elected watercolour artist favourite - congrats.

Gretchen Bjornson ART said...

Isn't that the truth! I think you have a nice start on this one Rhonda! Good luck....

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Susan. They were putting on a show for us, full ballet dress! I'll get back to it today - so be ready to yell STOP!! ha ha

Thanks Carol. I hope I can get this one right.

Joan, I've enjoyed doing these and feel that I'm learning with the portraits and figures each time I do them. Thanks!

Thanks, Gretchen. I'll keep you posted and hope it works out this time.

Christiane Kingsley said...

Rhonda, this is going to be your lucky portrait of your grand-daughter this time. You are off to such a great start. I really like the skin tones!

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Christiane! I hope the universe is listening :)

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

I love the pose and position on the paper. Good idea to work on 2 pieces at once. I've started to do that too. Seems to save getting impatient with drying times :) Not to mention a new look when you return to work on it.

RH Carpenter said...

Pam, thanks! I almost have to do 2-3 at a time to keep from working one to death before I'm even aware of it. It's especially true about seeing something new when you return to it - when doing portraits and figures (the tiniest change can make a portrait/figure wrong or just right).