Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The new portrait page

Just wanted to let you know that I added a new page to the blog - Portraits. There are only a few posted right now, I need to take pictures of a couple more that I did. I had pictures. Do I know where they are at the moment? No. It's been a few years since doing the pieces and at the time I only had my 35mm SLR so somewhere there are actually prints. Oh, how I love digital. Anyway, most of these portraits are done with colored pencil.

Kayla with Bubbles
colored pencil
This painting of Kayla was done on Canson pastel paper. The paper is a beautiful magenta color (I wish this pic was better. I had to take a new one from an old print so the photo isn't the best). Trying to work out the skin tones on that color of paper was a real pain in the rear!

Journey, Portrait of Kristen
mixed media
Now this one, it almost ended up in the trash. This piece is watercolor, gold leaf and colored pencil on Stonehenge printmaking paper. When I started with the watercolor washes I goofed and ended up with a splotch on the face where I didn't want it. I really wanted to keep the face pure and clean. When I tried to lift the color it wouldn't work. I was so aggravated I threw the thing down and walked away. Later I took it outside on the picnic table and just started throwing paint at it - literally. I added the gold and then just started scrubbing with the colored pencils. Sometimes it works out for the best when you attack something with a "nothing to lose" attitude.

Portrait of Sarah
colored pencil
This portrait of my daughter was done on a cream colored Stonehenge. I did this one slowly, building up the color layer by layer for a smooth, soft look.

When I can get to where the other 2 portraits are I'll take some photos of those and post them. I added the portrait page because now that I have the studio I have more time to take on commission work again. I'd especially like to play some more with the mixed media portraits. I also have some more landscapes I want to do and there's another series I'm deeply entrenched in, that I want to share soon. So many projects........... did I just say I have more time?


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I so admire your meticulous, precise work. However, it is the mixed media pieces that really grab me. I am SO happy that you didn't scrap "Kristen"! The push-and-pull with the landscape, the back and forth of translucency with opacity......fantastic. It is my favorite of the three. Don't you just love it when a frustrating piece turns out to be a "wow"?!? ~Savannah

Carlynne Hershberger, CPSA said...

Thanks Savannah! I did end up loving that piece and very happy I didn't circular file it. It usually works that way for me, some of my favorites are the ones that pissed me off royally before I let it go and just went with the emotion and flow of it. I guess it comes from taking the caution out of the work.