Remember this ? I was afraid to paint it "at the moment", and though I said I would be getting to it right away, I lied. I only did this last night. The background was too intense so I did a glaze over it to tone it down. Let me just say, I find red hair extremely difficult to do. It was much darker than this in reality. And I'm still trying to figure out how to do shadows on people. Do you go with more saturated skin tone color, or do you add blue, or what? How do you create your shadows? Overall I like this. I just don't look at it too closely because my inner critic will begin picking it apart.
Okay, this, this is someone I love and miss very much. I wish she lived closer and that I could see her more often. It is done from a dark photo of her in a cave, where details are often hard to discern. Like the glasses on her head. They just looked like a continuation of her hair in the photo. I almost didn't even notice them, except she had weird-shaped hair which would never happen in reality because she's beautiful, always. I only see a resemblance here. She may not even think it looks like her at all. Especially the skin tones! I'm still having difficulty getting those down correctly, so her beautiful glowing tan looks more like a sunburn! So my message to this person is, don't be offended, I'm still learning here! Oh, and LOVE YOU!
I went back to this and toned down the background with a glaze. Thanks Dan for the suggestion! There is some improvement, though I think it may need another glazing. I'll probably just leave this one alone though. Never was too excited about it to start with!
This ocean scene is only about 1" X 3". I did it for study purposes only and from imagination. I wanted to get better at doing clouds and this is the one, out of about five, that I liked best. I got the idea for doing it from Barbara Weeks. She did some really great studies at the beach.I've also recently been awarded the Over-the-Top award by Jennifer Edwards, and the Sunshine Award by Cathie Tonkins. I haven't forgot about these; I promise to get to them soon! Thank you both for thinking of me!
Wonderful little sketches! I think your clouds are beautiful. I have seen clouds like those at the beach. Yes, indeed.
ReplyDeleteNice work. I love the redhead--up close she looks great. Thanks to you and Dan, I've been trying a few sketches in w/c. Fun, but I probably should read some directions first.
ReplyDeleteIn my younger days I was a natural redhead--an impossible color, even for hair dyers--it's as if every strand is a different color, ranging from brown to red to blonde.
good pictures...
ReplyDeleteseems you always take the sketchbook along...
sure! I'l return to see more from you...
Fabulous sketches Raena!! I hear your self critiques- but I have none to give!! I think you've done a great job on all of these. Sorry I don't have any "tips"- I'm learning from you. : ))) Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteRaena, I am in no position to help you with the technical issues of color and shadow, but just let me tell you that the portraits are great!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nod, Raena! I have no idea why you don't like that picture. I love how you are trying so many things! Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI'm having my own problems with skintones in watercolour so I'm afraid I can't help. I like your sketches tho!
ReplyDeleteI love that you're using your paints, and these are really terrific. You're doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work! nancy
ReplyDeleteOoh, good save on the first portrait! I like how it ended up. As for skin, I'm a full color spectrum gal. I love to use blues/greens in skin tones. Love all the others too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful work! I am getting into 'just going for it' with sketches and wc too--so what if they don't always turn out--it's just a sketch, right!? But these of yours did turn out beautifully.
ReplyDeleteReally good portraits, I like the red hair with vibrant colours, they are all very good!
ReplyDeleteI think they are great! Looking just at the expressions, it's superb. And then your colors are amazing. I gotta agree with you that doing human skin tones and shadows is a huge challenge, something I always struggle as well. But the dark tones depending on the theme you're working on I guess, that's why I don't think there's ever a right or a wrong, it's just IT ^^
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks for your comment Raena. It's nice to be back too, and yeah I'll take some time to "feel" the city.
You are inspiring me to want to do some portraits! I like what you've done, the red hair looks great, in my opinion. You can send your inner critic on vacation!
ReplyDeleteThese are great! I love the interplay of the red-orange-brown and the greens in the first portrait. About skin tones - I think a lot depends on the lighting (cool lights vs. warm shadows or vice versa, or whatever look you are after). Check out this very green face: http://www.johnclapp.com/portpages/portf20.htm. Often, I find myself using blues for the first washes of the shadows and then covering them with warm colors, so the result is still a cooled-down warmish tone. This overlapping also makes the shadows less saturated, which is usually the case in real life.
ReplyDeleteIn a single-wash sketch though you just do whatever feels right at the moment :)
you really love portraits don't u ? nice job :D
ReplyDeletegreat sketches--I like how brave you are with all your color. RE: flesh & shadow, you might enjoy this nice article:
ReplyDeletehttp://painting.about.com/od/figuresportraits/qt/tips_fig6.htm
Great sketches!! You are way too hard on yourself, your redhead is wonderful.
ReplyDeletegreat work, raena.
ReplyDeleteYou are becoming very good! Love the different approaches you are taking and wow! you're quite prolific too!
ReplyDeleteThank you all very much; your comments really help with all the self-doubts! And thank you Celeste for the link. I've gone to check it out and bookmarked it for future reference! And thank you Yevgenia, that green face was fabulous and really gets the point across about color choices! I guess it all depends on what I want!
ReplyDeleteThank you, for your kind mention! I don't know how I missed the first time around. You are always so generous with your comments.
ReplyDeleteReana your three portraits are great. The top portrait of the lady with the red hair. Amazing1 you really nailed it and I find your hair to be bang on. Sometimes for me, hair can just be painted as a flat wash. that's just me and i'm sure a lot of people would disagree with it.
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