"36 Heads", Portrait #12

November 1, 2011, David
Terry Ludwig and Unison soft Pastels on PastelMat
12"x16"

David sat for us for 3 hours indoors.  This was an exciting portrait to paint because of the chef costume.  Athough at first glance, white may seem boring to paint, it was fun to be able to use some of the grays in my pastel set.  David is the same model that posed for Portrait #9.  I look back now and think that Portrait #9 is a better study of David's complexion and features.  Clothing is always a challenge for me to paint, so in this portrait I decided to devote more time to painting the chef outfit.  I am pleased with the result, although the time devoted to the clothing took time away from working on David's ruddy complexion.

"36 Heads", Portrait #11

October 11, 2011, Zwanda
Terry Ludwig Pastels on Pastelmat
12"x16"

Zwanda sat for 3 hours indoors.  I had a bit of trouble in the beginning, having not given much thought to painting dark skin before with pastels.  The first hour was spent with proportions and skin tones, normally at the one hour point, the painting is further along than this one was.  Somehow it got pulled together.  I enjoyed using the violets in Zwanda's shadowed areas.  Overall, I'm very happy with Zwanda's face in this painting, but the shoulder and breast are too small- again, in my rush to finish, I didn't devote enough time to those areas.  I'm still enjoying the Ludwigs on the dark gray PastelMat.  I won't be in the next session on Oct. 18, but plan to return to the model session on Oct. 25.

Portrait #11, why it's not here yet...

The model I was looking forward to painting last week, a flaming red head, did not show up to the session.  I was really disappointed, having painted her a few other times in watercolor, once in pastels, I was looking forward to painting her again.

This is another issue about working with live models insteading photographs- sometimes your reference doesn't show up!  I have been attending figure and portrait sessions for over 3 1/2 years now, and this is the third time this has happened.  This no show was the most disappointing, as this is the first time I've depended on a model to meet a specific goal like this project.  The other times I wasn't working towards a goal, so the no shows didn't bother me much.

On to next week.  We haven't gotten the October model schedule yet, so I'm not sure who will be sitting in the chair!

"36 Heads", portrait #10

September 20, 2011, Heidi
Terry Ludwig and Unison soft pastels on PastelMat
11"x14"

Heidi sat for us indoors, the usual 3 hour session with breaks every 20 minutes.  Hands on painting time for this one was under two hours because I had to leave early.  This is the fourth time I've painted Heidi since July, and think this is the best likeness yet.  Overall this one was a pleasure to paint, and Heidi seems easier to paint each time.  I now understand why artists like to use the same model over and over, becoming familiar with one's subject allows one to work more confidently each time .  Heidi isn't a model that gets into dynamic poses, but she always wears interesting clothing, almost never needs correcting when getting back into position after a break, and sits quite still- really an ideal model for portrait painting.  The headscarf in real life was a bright magenta and purple, but I didn't have proper colors with me so used muted reds instead.  This was bothering me the whole session, wanting to paint those bright and bold colors, but not having the right pastel sticks.  However, the muted tones used for the headscarf have grown on me, and I'm now pleased with the results.  This is the first portrait in the series that doesn't feel finished.  The background needs to be darkened in areas, the headscarf and hair refined.  These are things I normally leave until the last sitting for the session, which I missed because of leaving early.  I've become quite fond of PastelMat and Terry Ludwig pastels- I wasn't too happy with the Ludwig pastels intially, but find myself reaching for them more and more over the Unisons since switching to PastelMat.  Next week on the schedule is a model named Jonqui, who has dyed, flaming red hair. I've painted her in figure painting sessions a few times using watercolor, and once using Rembrandt pastels- it will be fun to see what happens next week when using the Ludwigs and PastelMat!

"36 Heads", portrait #9

September 13, 2011, David
Terry Ludwig and Unison Soft Pastels on PastelMat
12"x16


David sat for 3 hours, with breaks every 20 minutes.  I spent a little more time on this portrait measuring facial feature placement, and think the extra time paid off.  This portrait was another fun one to paint- loved painting the hat, and David's ruddy complexion.  This was my first time painting a beard.  I rather liked it because I had trouble getting his lip shape correct, so used the beard to hide the imperfections.  The beard also "framed" his face well, making it easier to place his features.  I'm not happy with the shirt- but it's not anything like what he was wearing- he was wearing a patterned black, gray and white shirt, which was impossible for me to paint, so I decided to just make it a green-gray color.  This one was painted with a few Unison soft pastels for the intial layers for the face and hat, then Terry Ludwig for the rest.  The shirt was painted only with Unisons- I don't have any grays in the Terry Ludwig line yet, must pick some of those up.  I'm so thrilled with the PastelMat used in the the last two portraits, and plan on using this paper almost exclusively in the near future.  Got home and realized the nose doesn't look right- his left nostril (on our right) wasn't showing from where I was standing, but there should be some indication of a nostril- it looks funny without it.  This is an area that I have trouble with- making things up that I don't see- using artistic licence to improve a painting...

"36 Heads", portrait #8

September 6, 2011, Colleen
Terry Ludwig and Unison soft pastels on PastelMat
12"x16"

Before I even got to this portrait session, I decided that my easel must be setup on the other side of the room for me to paint.  All the models thus far in this project have been facing to my left and I was starting to fear that perhaps I wouldn't be able to paint from any other vantage points- that noses in future portraits would always be pointed towards the left because that's what is what is becoming familiar.   This was a crowded session and there was a good energy in the room, and somehow I managed to squeeze into the perfect spot.  I tried a new paper for this session- and couldn't be happier!  PastelMat and Terry Ludwig pastels are a perfect marriage in my opinion.  The paper grips the soft pastels so well that little dust falls into my catch sheet when working.  The pastels stay vibrant and one can work in a painterly fashion or get fine detail with this paper.  It's soft, and won't rub off your fingertips like sanded paper.  I used a few Unisons, but mostly Ludwig pastels for this.  Colleen was great to work with- she is a dynamic model, and was in a reclining pose for this portrait.  I really enjoyed painting her skin tones and hair.  I had problems with the left side of her face (our right hand side).  The thing that bothers me the most is that the irises are not the same size, and the left eye appears more closed and is not sitting in the right spot on the face.  But overall, this is my favorite portrait in this project so far.  The PastelMat made a big difference this session.  I'm starting to get sloppy about spending time in the beginning of the portrait session measuring for correct placement of features.  In the past several portraits, I've been so eager to start applying color, and am getting away from the basics- something I need to pay more attention to.  This particular portrait makes me feel as if I'm getting somewhere with these heads...

"36 Heads", portrait #7

September 5, 2011, Michael

Unison and Terry Ludwig soft Pastels on Canson Mi-teintes

12"x16"

I asked my husband to sit for me for an hour outside on Labor Day weekend- this is the first time I've tried to paint him.  Breaks every 15 minutes- he did a fine job posing, which made my job easier.   Painting someone you know is a different experience than painting a model you don't know well.  You notice things about this person you've never bothered to "see" despite sitting with them at dinner every night.  There are a few problems with this painting (that ear was challenging in particular), but overall, I'm happy with this portrait, and think it is a good likeness.  Wish I had worked on sanded paper, but didn't think an hour was enough to use a sheet of sanded- it would have been.  I mostly used Unison soft pastels on the smooth side of Canson Mi-teintes (felt grey) and a few Terry Ludwigs for finishing touches.  Hopefully he'll agree to sit for me another time, painting this was very enjoyable and creates a desire in me to paint other people in my life- close friends and family.  Most of my family members live far from me, but after I get more practice,  I'll travel with my pastels to visit them.  I hope they agree to sit for me.  I know it's a hard job, harder than it looks, especially sitting for a beginning portrait artist that needs the model to be as still as possible.

"36 Heads", portrait #6

August 30, 2011, Heidi

Unison soft pastels on Sennelier La Carte

12"x16"

Heidi sat for us wearing the same clothing pose that she did last week.  Again, a 3 hour indoor session with breaks every 20 minutes.  I decided to stand in roughly the same place as last week to see what would happen.  This time I used Unison pastels- having recently received the 63 half stick set, and some additional open stock colors (love that Blue Violet 4!).  Unisons are softer and richer in color than the Rembrandt soft pastels that I had used in the beginning of the project, but not quite as soft to me as the Terry Ludwigs used in some of the other portraits.  Using a slighty firmer pastel really influenced the way I painted this week compared to last week- this portrait is not as loose and painterly as with the Ludwigs last week- one reason I don't like this painting as much as last week's.  I do love the Unison colors though- these pastels seems to "sparkle" on the page.  This session I was tired and another reason for the difference compared to last week.  Last week's painting is a better likeness to Heidi than this one- this actually looks more like a friend of mine named Judy!   Since I wasn't acheiving a likeness, I decided to finish the face up earlier in the session and spent more time on the clothing.   I'm not really happy with this portrait, but next week will be a new head to paint...

"36 Heads", portrait #5

August 22, 2011, Heidi

Terry Ludwig Pastels on Sennelier LaCarte paper

12"x16"

This portrait was fun to paint.  This is my second time painting Heidi since the project began, this time, inside.  Heidi is a great model to paint from- she holds the pose well and keeps her eyes quite still (not shifiting around), and always gets back into position without issue- she also has great skin tones, and both times has worn fun clothing (although I don't paint the whole figure, her clothing choices seem to be good for portrait sessions).  Again, the usual 3 hour session, with breaks every 20 minutes.  I painted with Ludwig pastels for this one- I'm enjoying the painterly strokes I get with these softer pastels- this painting is much looser than the first one of Heidi on July 26. There are some issues with proportions here, the eyes are bit off and the nose is pointing more straight ahead than it should be, but overall, I'm pleased with the results.  I'm not sure why, but necks are giving me a challenge- and seem to be unable to get the correct shadows on the neck- I can see them during the model session, but can't seem to translate the form to paper.  In this painting, I decided to bring a bit of the skin tone into the background, and think it works okay.  Looking back, I don't think the backgrounds on my paintings have been working- they aren't colors used in the painting anywhere except the background, and don't have harmony. 

"36 Heads", portrait #4

Crop detail: 4 1/2" square of painting to the left   

August 16, 2011, Farrah and daughter

Soft pastels on Sennelier La Carte

12"x16"

Okay, remember I said at the beginning of the blog that some portraits in the project would work, many would not?  This is one of those that I hesitated including because I do not like it- but it is part of the project so feel comitted to include it despite my disppointment.  Several things during the session led to decisions that I made as an artist that did not work out in the end.  I have no experience in painting young childeren in person but was excited to have the chance!  Mistake number one:  deciding to include both models in the pose- it wasn't until I had started into the session that the composition of the pose from my vantage point wasn't working- the young girl's head is straight below her mother's head, and it would be more pleasing to see them off centered from each other to keep the eye moving around the page.  If I had to do this again, I would have just left the girl out and focused on Farrah's portrait.  Mistake number two:  deciding to paint the adult first (which is more in my comfort zone), and waiting to paint the young girl towards the end of the session.  In the second half of the session, the young girl had trouble sitting still for the required time- of course I should have realized that someone her age would have problems keeping still, but I forged ahead without thinking. She never sat still long enough for me to finish her.  Had I worked in the reverse, I may have made better progress on her and would have been able to finish Farrah in the second half of the session.  Mistake number three:  painting in the orange lamp during the last 10 minutes of the pose.  Just because something interesting is in frame does not mean it needs to be included!   Although this painting disappoints me, I did enjoy using the Terry Ludwig soft pastels on LaCarte (blue color)- the two work very well together.  I also used a few Unison pastels, but the majority of the painting is from the Terry Ludwig 60 stick Maggie Price Values set.  I'm finding this set to be very versatile- and suprisingly good for portraits!   The face of Farrah I am quite pleased with, although it is quite small- I'm including a cropped close up- I like the way the pastels responded to the paper, the choice of colors, and the proportions in this one aren't bad.  Working this small on features was a challenge, especially with the chunky, square Ludwig pastels, and I will be going back to my standard sized "heads" in the next one!  One nice thing about this 36 heads project is after the 3 hours, I go home and photograph the work and put the painting away in a portfolio. The 36 heads project paintings are not touched up after getting home and are done, and don't hang over my head waiting to move forward like some of the other work waiting in my art room...



"36 Heads", portrait #3

August 9, 2011, Farrah

Soft pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes

12"x16"

Third pose outdoors.  I was in the sun for the first half of the pose and was not as comfortable as the previous two weeks.  However, painting this one was a completely different experience because just a few days before, I received a 60 piece Terry Ludwig pastel set.  These pastels are much softer than the Rembrandts I was using.  Although not impossible, I found them a bit difficult to work with on the Canson Mi-teintes paper, I'm curious how they would respond on sanded paper.  The model that day was moving, I think because of the hat- eyes went from exposed to covered by the hat- and back to exposed- so I captured what I saw in one moment.  Wish I had more time to devlop the eyes, but left them undefined since I couldn't get a good view for a long enough period.  I found her mouth difficult to capture, and the hair was a black mass under the hat that was difficult to define well in this painting.  Need to work on those things, but think her neck is one of the better ones I've done, and love that Unison BV4 on this.  Still struggling with clothing.  This one was painted with Terry Ludwig pastels (the 60 piece Maggie Price Values set), about a half dozen Unison pastels and the rough side of Canson Mi-tientes, felt gray color.   I'm in a broken color phase right now and enjoying the rough side of Canson for that reason.

"36 Heads", portrait #2

August 2, 2011

Soft pastels on Canson Mi-teintes

12"x16"

Worked again outside, 3 hour model session with breaks every 20 minutes.  The sunlight shifted drastically across the model's body over 3 hours, and this is one aspect that makes painting outside so much different than in a studio where the lighting is more constant.  I painted the pattern of lights and darks in this pose about 30 minutes into the session, and although the sunlight continued to shift, I kept working as if the lighting hadn't changed.  This was a challenge as I'm so used to painting what is in front of me without change in lighting, and being able to keep with the values on this over the remaining 2 1/2 hours is a personal breakthrough.  This painting used Rembrandt soft pastels on the rough side of Canson Mi-tientes, felt gray color.   4 new Unison pastels added, which I enjoyed working with more than the Rembrandts, especially the color BV4 in the shadow areas on the skin.  Unfortunately I forgot to get the model's name. 

"36 Heads", portrait #1

      July 26, 2011, Heidi

      Soft Pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes

      12"x16"

 

First portrait session in the "36 Heads" project.  Heidi posed for us in the sun and the lighting changed over the 3 hour session.  There were breaks every 20 minutes for the model and artists, total painting time just over 2 hours. This was the first time I've painted a posed model outdoors, and the changing light made for an interesting painting experience.   I am returning to soft pastels after a 2 year break- and realized how much I have missed them.  This is also my first clothed model session in a couple of years, and quite a change after spending the past 3 1/2 years on and off focusing on the human form and attending nude model sessions.   I worked in Rembrandt soft pastels on the smooth side of Canson Mi-Teintes Sky Blue for this portrait.  Realizing I need to invest in some softer pastels, although Rembrandts are good for Canson, a softer pastel would have been easier for me over the 2 hour period.  Think I painted a good likeness, but got home and realized the values are off.  Need to work on hair, clothing and neck, those were the hardest for me in this portrait.