portraits – Page 2 – Daily Fiber

Sunday Sketching: 100 day project

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Laura Kate

It feels like months since I worked on the 100 day project. But I have new inspiration that pushed me into making a sketch today.

Bill took this photo earlier in the year.

I have no idea how he got our grandson to pose AND to smile. There must have been a story to go along with this image. I’ll have to ask about it. Anyway, the photo touched my heart and motivated me to get out my pencil, eraser and Micron pen.

Here is my initial pencil sketch.

I worked on it sporadically over a few days, trying to get all the proportions and subtleties of the face accurate.

Today I inked my lines, refining shapes as I worked.

I used number .05 and .005 Micron pens, adding light hatch lines to indicate contours and shadow. The boy has a multitude of freckles, which I felt unable to render with any degree of delicacy. So, you get to see Henry freckle-free.

I believe this drawing brings me to Day 41 of the 100-day challenge. While I feel no particular urgency to reach 100 pieces of art before a year has passed, I’ll continue to plug away at the project. Bill continues to offer up excellent photographs for my artistic consideration.

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100-Day Project: Days 18 to 21

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Laura Kate

My selection today is all watercolor, of varying qualities.

Day 18: Amanda’s Shawl

This week I slipped in a photograph taken by me. Last August I had started painting a close-up version in watercolor. The painting has been in time-out for several months. This week I finished it.

The theme is texture, and I’m fairly happy with most of what I did. I’d like to try again using a larger piece of paper and the full view.

Day 19:

Again, I was drawn to the texture, and the points of the barbed wire which look almost white to me.

I didn’t achieve a good range of value. I plan to try again, maybe in a monotone, so I can focus the value contrasts.

Day 20: Sharp-shinned hawk.

Yesterday was First Wednesday Open Studio at the arts center. Cheryl Bryan’s lesson focused on lost and found edges. I chose this photograph because the hawk’s coloration allows it to blend in with its environment. And there are cool shadows.

The lesson started with creating a three-color background in a random fashion. After it dried, we determined the subject’s position in the background and penciled it in lightly. In addition to making a lost and found edge at the bird’s wing and tail, I also practiced negative painting around the right edge and the talons. I enjoyed it and the work went quickly.

Day 21: Sonoma view

Bill took this photo from the upper deck of his brother’s house in Petaluma, CA. It could almost be a view of Oklahoma last week, when, pushed by high winds, fire raged barely five miles from our home.

I brightened up the foreground to see what exactly made up all those plants. Using three different mixes of green and some yellow ochre, I just played around with shapes until it looked done.

The first painting is 8 by 8. The other three are postcard sized. All were painted on Arches cold press paper.

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Sunday Sketching – Live Model

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Laura Kate

Yesterday I had my second opportunity to sketch from a live model. And what an interesting model he was.

Nate arrived somewhat breathless, resplendently dressed in Victorian garb from head to toe: black cloak lined in plum wool, waistcoat with satin lapels, brocade vest and ascot scarf around his neck.

The poses were held for fifteen minutes, with breaks in between each stretch. I sketched this first one fairly quickly in pencil, adding just enough detail to give the right impression.

Later in the session I focused on his face.

How was your Sunday?

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Sketching Sunday: Two drawings

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Laura Kate

I have been spending time with pencils this week. The first sketch is a study for a watercolor landscape that I am planning.

This next drawing, still unfinished, is based on a sketch I made of Henry last month.

I transferred lines from my preliminary sketch onto toned pastel paper, then built up layers of graphite. A little chalk pencils brightens up the flames.

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Sunday Sketching – Portrait

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Laura Kate

This is a preliminary sketch from a photograph I took of Henry on his birthday in November. Instead of having a cake with candles, he wanted to scatter the candles across the whole table. I managed to catch his face in an expression both solemn and thoughtful.

I hope to develop this sketch further, once in graphite and again in watercolor.