This weekend I was feeling a little sick. All I could do and wanted to do, was just play a little in my art journal. And I’m actually really pleased with this portrait.
I just took my pastel pencil and worked from a reference photo. When I work with reference photos it is not to copy the face, but really just to use it as a reference. Mostly to look at the shading.
Even though I worked with a pencil, I tried not to draw any harsh lines but use the pencil more like a crayon, holding it a bit on the side and creating smooth planes of color. I love the combination of the soft, smooth color and the texture that is created by the tooth of the watercolor paper.
This is another portrait that I made while lying in bed:
Here I just wanted to draw very loosely, just playing without really thinking about the outcome.
I first worked with a Derwent inktense pencil, which is like a watercolor pencil except when it dries after being activated with water, it becomes permanent. So I just colored a little with the inktense pencil and spritzed some water over it, to make it drip here and there.
Then I let it dry and worked a little with my pastel pencil. I didn’t want to overwork it and wanted to keep it raw and unpolished. Unfortunately I went a little too far on the right eye, trying to add a little too much detail, which I then tried to remove using a pastel crayon. This didn’t turn out really well, so you can see that the right eye is a little smudged. Oh well. Just playing around. And it teaches me that I sometimes really should stop sooner than I think.
I really love the mouth on this portrait. It is actually just consists of some ink stains created by the inktense pencil, and then a few details with my pastel pencil. And just like that the mouth was there – and fortunately here I knew right away that I shouldn’t fiddle with it any further.
Sometimes less really is more.
You are the most amazing artist! I adore your work!
Thank you Suz! So glad to hear that!
Wonderful portraits.. I am very happy that I found your blog and YT Channel I so like your art and you are such a good teacher as well!
Thank you for sharing !!!
Awww I’m really happy to hear that Su! Thank you so much!