WIP Day 2
2/27/2011 12:48:00 PM Posted In charcoal , portrait Edit This 13 Comments »
I've been pondering just how to do this man's beard. Charcoal (at least at my skill level) doesn't seem to lend itself to small details like beard hair. At first I thought I might use a sharpened charcoal pencil to do some of the finer work. Alas, I don't have any (that I can find, nor do I have a memory of ever having them - which, of course, means nothing). So then I decided that maybe I could just blend it all in and see what happens. You can see what happened below. I think I can work with this and maybe take it to a place where I'm reasonably satisfied with it. In my search through my things hoping to find a charcoal pencil or two, I did come across a white charcoal pencil that just might come in handy.
Another problem I'm having is the hat versus the background. I want it to blend in, but I'm having trouble getting the background dark enough. I think I used to have a block of charcoal that might do the trick, but yep, you guessed it, I have not a clue where it might be. The maddening thing about this is that just yesterday I was in a Utrecht Art Supply store, which is nowhere near my house (think about 45 miles), and it never occurred to me to buy charcoal pencils or a charcoal block! I even had a 30% off coupon which I couldn't use because what I bought was already on sale. (I left it at the store for someone more organized then I to pick up and use.) Go figure. I did, however, come home with a nice, big pad of newsprint to use at the life drawing studio.
Another problem I'm having is the hat versus the background. I want it to blend in, but I'm having trouble getting the background dark enough. I think I used to have a block of charcoal that might do the trick, but yep, you guessed it, I have not a clue where it might be. The maddening thing about this is that just yesterday I was in a Utrecht Art Supply store, which is nowhere near my house (think about 45 miles), and it never occurred to me to buy charcoal pencils or a charcoal block! I even had a 30% off coupon which I couldn't use because what I bought was already on sale. (I left it at the store for someone more organized then I to pick up and use.) Go figure. I did, however, come home with a nice, big pad of newsprint to use at the life drawing studio.
13 comments:
He's coming along very nicely, Nancy.
I am hoping that you are thinking of me when you think about the life drawing studio (not as the model, but as a fellow artist :-) )
xoxo
I love how he's turning out! Great work! I wish I could have the pacience to work in a piece several days. I start one sketch and feel the urge to finish it the same day...
Hugs!
I think this is a great sketch, Nancy. Charcoal sure isn't easy to use, at least not in my experience.
It is great to see the progress on this portrait and his gaze is quite penetrating. Charcoal is messy but it makes for such a striking piece of artwork.
Nancy, His eyes are so expressive. I hope you find all your stray charcoal pencils. They'll probably all come back to light just as soon as you buy new ones!
Looking good Nancy!Love the softness of the charcoal on the face and the beard
(Thanks for your comment, happy I made you smile)
He is looking good! Could the hat be softened? It looks a little "pasted on". I like the detail in the background.
Wow! This is really good! You're much better at people than I am. :)
Nancy, how you have worked this drawing into an intuitive and fabulous likeness. You are a true talent: people are the hardest. As someone else commented, the eyes are so expressive. Is the source a Rembrandt, perchance? Or a photo of yours? I wish I could see your reference photo, just for fun. Or maybe it's from a life-drawing session. Those are so much fun and I miss them. Gotta Sketch!
Hugs from tina in San Diego
I have a set of tinted charcoal pencils, they're lovely but they keep breaking so I don't use them.
Perhaps you should soften the edges of the hat to blend it into the background?
Oh wow. It looks so much fuller and has got a lot more volume now. =) I like where this is going!
Looks Great and that extra work added a lot of depth. Very expressive eyes too. He looks like a kindly old soul.
I think I love him. Such a sensitivity in his eyes. I hope you go back to him or do him again. He's worth it. Great work Nancy.
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