Faces and chroma

Enjoyed getting onto the kids' faces today and getting the colour/chroma in the right (ie less red!) zone.

Been a while (again)

Off on a side-track the last couple of months, but been getting back into a camel (lovely young Milkshake from Uluru Camel Tours) and a couple of dancers pix:

This is quite a bit one, so just getting the coverage of the first pass took a bit of a while:  I'd forgotten how powerful cadmium red is.  It was one of the reasons I wanted to paint this, but in this session it rather took over in my dodgy colour mixing for the skin tones; I can fix that on later layers, though. It's making me laugh a bit how Zen the kids are looking (intimations of things to come when we do mindfulness in my classes next year ???)

 This is quite a small one (on board rather than the usual canvas) so it's a challenge not to get too overly wrapped up in the details of the skirt patterns, lovely though they are.

 Enjoying the different kind of fluffy coat and multi-directional hair growth on Milkshake, and as always, the eyes.  Decided to keep the background white to emphasise the slightly quirky stance.

And done!

Very happy with both the process (loved painting it) and the resolved work (love looking at it without thinking what else can I do!)

made it, almost

It helps that it's a fairly small one . . . 

fast and furious for a 10 day deadline

Nothing like a bit of a challenge.  Was going to miss the Senior Territorian Portrait this year but thought, why not see if a small, quick and quirky (another eyes closed one, but this time face towards the sun) one will get done in time for the 15th.  So Lesley very kindly agreed to some photos a few days ago, much as she hates being photographed (thanks m'dear) and here's the first few bits and pieces

pretty much done

been a while

chroma stuff

Had wanted to just keep going with the face but knew I needed to get the background and clothing blocked in for some colour reference as I could go seriously wrong otherwise. 
Something to look forward to next weekend now . . .

ears and eyes

and not worrying too much about the tone at present, as I'll play with that when the background and clothing's blocked in.

beginning the VC official portrait

ok, really finished now

And with another one.  I've also done a bit on the website too, uploading some pics and a video of the gallery at the 2017-18 show in Victoria (in the profile page).

finished

tiny changes in the last weeks

hard to see on photos, but getting skin tones deeper, adjusting the eye size, sorting the blue in the background to make the red of the gown sing a bit more, and, the big work of the next few weeks, the mouth and chin and general shadows, tones and depth in the lower part of the face.  Only a day this weekend as working on the CUP textbook for the rest, but happy with the progress.  Still think I need to deepen the sea tones. 

pulling it together

Shirt, background, colour.  Tidying up edges and tones .. . the beginning of the last bits.  Happy with LH headland but still need to play with RH one a bit.

non face stuff

So, a couple of hours today on the shirt, gown, a bit of the background (though I'm still not happy at all with that, both in terms of colours and tonal stuff).  Happy with placement of the headlands now but need to make some decision about how Renaissance I want them to be or how realistic. Happy too with how the red of the gown is settling down a bit.

mainly chroma stuff

Colours that is.  Moving from pinkish to orangish. And refining the textures.

background and clothing tonal things

Mainly eyes

Happy beginnings

Spent the week at work hanging out for studio time this weekend to make a start on this portrait.  Worth the wait:

dress

a bit tricky getting folds happening in small scale, but moving along . . .

fabric, foliage and skin

Almost there with this one:  enjoying the tonal stuff and as always the fabric drapery.

Tiny increments from last weekend

Thought I'd post these before this weekend work begins.  Think I'll be a bit more productive rather than getting seduced by the suddenly below 40 degree temps of last weekend . . .

Going to be torn between overdoing the fabric designs and movement and getting a sense of the feet and the great golden light that will (really it will) be sifting into the RH side . . .

 Really enjoying the contrast between her skin, her dress and the background(s) both in terms of colour, form and texture.  Sounds a bit odd but  . . . you know what I mean? !

mainly feet

last of the yellow dancers but onwards still