Retriever
Graphite on Bristol Smooth
YAY! I just knew that I wasn’t going to go back and finish this and it would get lost in my stacks of TBFL (to be finished later). But I did it and I’m very pleased. I’ve been drawing with a 2b mechanical pencil and use a 4b for my darkest blacks. This time I went back to my few months of art training and used 4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, and 4B. I really don’t see much difference between this portrait and any other portrait that I’ve drawn, except maybe an increase in the total of hours. I’ve never timed myself, so I really can’t say for sure how long a portrait takes to draw as I only draw in 1 – 2 hour sessions with plenty of stops in those sessions. In the future I may just have to time myself.
I’ve been researching tutorials on acrylic painting. I think the internet is both a blessing and a curse. Sure you can find whatever information you need, but there is A LOT of it and A LOT different opinions on techniques. Each artist claiming to be the top authority. It’s kind of overwhelming, but I had obvious problems that need to be reconciled before I develop a bad habit and they are:
1.) I get lost in color choices, and I often times wonder why an artist chooses a particular yellow over the 50 other yellows.
2.) Warms and Cools are irritating me also. I mean, I know the obvious Red-Warm and Blue-Cool, but there are also the not so obvious…like a cool red or a warm blue? Seriously?
3.) Strokes. I had no idea that this was a method to madness type of thing. I thought you just slapped paint on the canvas the best way you could. That’s the way I did it anyway…who knew?
I found two tutorials on Jerry’s Artarama website by Dick Ensing that I found very interesting. I just may incorporate his palette technique. If I were a wealthy woman, I would most definintely fly out to take one of his workshops. He is just an awesome artist! On the tutorial he shows you how to make beautiful grays without being muddy, intensify colors, color complements and how to adjust your mixes properly. I’m sure it would work with any medium you choose. You’ll have to scroll down from the website for the videos, because I couldn’t upload the video to my blog.
I really wish I could’ve uploaded these videos…both together are less than 15 minutes and I promise you that it’s worth watching.
Be Well and Happy!
Carol Ottaway 
Damn, you’re good!
Thank You Vicki!!! It took forevvvvvvvvvvvvvver to draw. It means a lot that you like it, but don’t worry my head isn’t swelling, lol
I hope things are good your way.
That is really fabulous, it is soooo soft. Lovely! I think the length of time shows. I cannot spend hours and hours myself, I think about 35hours is the maximum I have spent on a piece and that was too long!
I confess to playing with acrylics myself lately, I am just self taught, I never thought to go looking on the net. But, I know someone who does a lot in a acrylics, perhaps I need to go and watch!
Thanks Chrissy!!!! I know what you mean and I think that’s why I stopped drawing the dog. I was like enough already! I really enjoy playing around with acrylics. You do such beautiful watercolor work that I believe acrylics will probably be easy for you, because I think watercolor is much harder. I can’t wait to see your results:)