Fini, Search and Rescue 2012

Search and Rescue Color Session 2

This was actually several sessions, just didn't get pictures in between. It's pretty refined by this point.

Search and Rescue color session 1

Search and Rescue drawings

I call these "drawings" even though it's paint. It's the under-painting if you will. 

But this process is much more like drawing then painting.

Starting out:

And all fixed up:

2012 Search and Rescue Study

This years Search and Rescue portrait begins. Meet Archie. We're going to become good friends. I will have completely imagined this man's identity by the time I'm done with the painting. And our few phone conversations.

Last year I had such a hard time getting the composition right, that I contrived a new method for this year. The study is on tracing paper, which I plan to retrace on the back side with charcoal and then transfer to my leather canvas. Here's hoping it works.

Day one:

And fixed a few drawing errors for day 2:

Sylvia

I was commissioned to do this pastel portrait of my late friend Sylvia, the mother of my friends Jessica and Rachel, by Rachel. She was a special lady, and it was a neat experience drawing this. I didn't have an exact photo reference, so we had to improvise and I had to go on memory and gut a little more then I'm used to. 

I like that in the final product she looks happy. I think she is.

Initial sketch for the family's approval and feedback:

Final portrait:

Fini

Search and Rescue color session 3

After another long session, which was actually over the course of 2 days, but I failed to take a picture in between. It's nearly done!

Search and Rescue color session 2

This was a longer session. The hairline and beard are purposely off a little bit so that I could lay it in when the paint was dry on the next session. I put the background in very last and instantly hated it, but didn't have time to fix at that moment. It gave me a week to mull it over, which isn't always a bad thing.

Search and Rescue color session 1

This was a quick session. About 3 hours.

Search and Rescue round 1-3

The funny thing about this goal I made for myself is that it's not difficult for me to create once a week; but it is to haul my camera in to take pictures, upload them, and then post.

It's silly, I know. So I'm late again.

I have never had a harder time laying out my initial "drawing" for a painting as I did with this one. This part usually comes pretty easy for me, there is no color to mess with, I have a decent eye and I've learned how to measure. I'm not sure if I was being overconfident or if I was just off my game, and it doesn't help that I'm not working from the greatest photo, but this sure humbled me.

The first try I didn't get a picture of. It's biggest issue was that I had made the overall face too small, and I had measured one eye wrong, and so then all other measurements made from that eye were also off. It was fixable, but I decided it wasn't worth it since I wasn't pleased with it overall.

I took the thinner and paper towels to it. Heartbreaking after 2.5 hours, I won't lie.

Try #2 seemed to be going better initially. Then I started feeling like something was off and when I stepped back to evaluate I realized the composition was a disaster. As such it was not worth saving again. Here is try #2, before the second thinner attack and a minor breakdown on my part.

Finally, after some meditation to calm myself down and sacrificing Sunday dinner, I got to here:

When I'm feeling like things are pretty good with my drawing, I like to take a photo and look at it that way,  that's what the above was for. Being disconnected from the piece for a minute helps me see my errors better.

Then I went back and finished up my under-painting/drawing. I had to put lights back in because at this point there were none left in the leather, and I also went ahead with some black on the shirt and some cool colors behind the face. Having cool colors on the canvas helps me fight my natural tendencies, and keep the warm tones on the skin under control when I start the color.