Wednesday 16 November 2022

Ooops! I Almost Forgot . . .

Hello friends! 

I hadn't planned on posting another blog so quickly after the last one, however it suddenly dawned on me I had one major painting that I completed a few weeks ago that I haven't shared with you yet.  Also, I’m quite excited about the one I completed this earlier this week so I'm quite eager to share it with you. I mustn’t forget the eyes either!

First, the one that is called Aphrodite in Pisces. A month ago, in October, Ida Andersen Lang hosted a free, online, ten day long, in depth, art class called Wish Upon A Star.  I think she is starting to do a series of Zodiac portraits as she has done one previously and hinted that more will be following. I loosely followed guidelines for it, while I enjoy her in depth lessons, one problem I have is she is very specific with her materials. I don't have a lot of them, and there isn't much room for improvisation, so I did the best I could with what I've got to hand. This is the end result. First a close up of the face, followed by the finished final outcome.

I think I've come a long way since I started out back in June with the 61 days of index card art challenge and culminated with this which is an A3, so I've gone from small pieces of work to much larger! This one took several days to complete and is mixed media using watercolour pencils, waterproof pencils, gouache, and shimmer paints.





Do you remember I also did a project called the Magic Eye of Ceridwen?  Here's a little reminder




Well, I enjoyed doing it so much that I've divided and A4 journal page into eight sections and I've started doing smaller versions in different colorways experimenting a little bit. I've only done four because I took a break to do some other artwork, so this is something I must to return to



Finally this is the piece I'm most excited about. I think it's become clear I'm really settling down into doing these portraits and I do enjoy them immensely, And one thing I keep doing is trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. Well this one certainly did that! I decided I wanted to try some different skin tones and this is the result. It's a single media using my box of sakura koi watercolours. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was, nor how much I learned about skin tones which is immense. 


I've learned some new techniques, and my next project is going to be simply worksheets of mixing skin tones and blending them in different ways. I've discovered that you can use almost every colour, even blue, blended in different ways to create different skin tones, and that the more you blend colours rather than use them straight out of the tube or pan, the more natural skin tones you achieve.  Following that, I'll be working on sheets of eyes, noses, lips, and hands!  This is going to take a lot of practise and dedication!

Until next time
Stay safe, stay well
Debbie xo



12 comments:

  1. That final painting is gorgeous. Bet it would sell if you exhibited

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    1. Thank you, Sue. I have actually already had several offers to purchase the last one. However, because most of my work is currently done on 90gsm paper and using mostly student quality art materials, I couldn't with all consciousness sell. Still, it's good for the morale to know how much people like it!

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  2. You have certainly learnt such a lot from the online sessions. Aphrodite in Pisces is beautiful it really is especially with the surrounding fish. My mum was a Pisces and she would have loved that drawing.
    The eyes are just incredible and the final painting is stunning. As the comment above says you could sell that - it is so good :)

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    1. Thank you my friend. What a kind compliment you pay. I think, though you know my feelings about selling.

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  3. Your portraits and and eyes are fabulous, love them all. You hae really come a long way, well done!

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    1. Thank you, Valerie. Yes, I look back now the few months to where I started out and I can't believe the change that's taken place It really does go to show that practice is everything.

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  4. I truly thought you were so talented and creative before you started these lessons. I didn't think there was anything you could learn, but you have come so far and learned so much. I am even more awed by your talent and creativity. Both portraits are incredible. You continue to amaze me.

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    1. Thank you my dear friend. I know I told you I wasn't going to blog this quite so soon but I've had such an overwhelming response to it I felt there is no point in holding it back any longer.
      As I told someone else, if you think I am talented, you should see the others!
      As far as learning goes, there's always something new to learn, and as far as I am concerned, the day I stop learning is the day I hang up my paint brushes. xo

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  5. Deb, I truly love your latest portrait of the girl on the savannah! Expressions are your talent, my friend. Being able to translate that onto paper is a gift of yours! The eyes are really mesmerizing. I'm so glad you share your work with us! xoxo

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    1. Thank you, Martha Ellen. Yes, she was a real challenge. The gauntlet is down now for me to master skin tones. xoxo

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  6. I like your "eyes." They're really lovely and so is Aphrodite. You catch her expression so very beautifully.

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