Drawing a Face

Yesterday I played in my art journal again. I can't draw faces very well and need to practice, practice, practice.

So this is my latest face. I first collaged various papers in the background and lightly swiped white and pink paint around to unify it. Then I started drawing the face. I have seen several instructions that all tell how to draw an oval and divide it into sections to get the proper proportions, but my previous attempts have not been very good. This one, however, I'm more pleased with.

I kept it very sketchy and used a bit of my new flesh-colored acrylic paints from Jane Davenport to paint in her skin. I used the "Mermaid Markers" for the wisps of hair. (By the way, these aren't really markers at all. Rather they are water brushes filled with non-permanent water colors. Gorgeous bright colors and tons of fun to play with!) The photo shows a reflection in the black of the pupils which isn't in the original.

The flowers in her hair are just "blobs" of white paint with a bit of pink swirled in while wet. Then I added gray paint for the centers and scribbled white and black pens around.

I didn't shade much - that will be my next challenge...

Documented Life Project - Week 33

August Theme - Faces, The Human Form and Characters

Week 33 -  Aug. 15

Art Challenge: Painted

Journal Prompt: How do I Face my Biggest Challenge?

This month's focus on faces - drawn, painted etc. - is quite the challenge. For this week's page I followed the guest artist of the week Mystele Kirkeeng). In her tutorial she very generously included her three sketches for our use, so I decided to try my hand at the third one. This was so out of my comfort zone, but this week's prompt was facing your biggest challenge, so how better to do it than to really challenge myself!

Below is Mystele's finished painting from her sketch. She used a very loose, "scratchy" painting technique. When painting with acrylics, I usually blend and smooth out the paints, so I wanted to try this less controlled method. 

I think my end result is still too blended and not as sketchy as Mystele's but I am happy that it at least resembles hers and actually looks like a face! I obviously need much more practice.

I'm still catching up and have one more week's spread to finish before getting on track for this week. Traveling sure plays havoc with a schedule!

MIA and Documented Life Planner Week 31

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I stopped by here! Yes, I've been busy!

I have spent the last month or so trying to catch up on my oldest two grand boys' scrapbooks. I was going to do their first year, but the project took on a life of its own and has morphed into documenting their first two-plus years!

We went to Austin to visit Carl and Mitchell for our birthdays (mine, my husband's and my oldest daughter's are within 4 days of each other in August) and that was my deadline so I could give the scrapbook to Carl then. I think at last count I scrapped about 70 pages for him! Needless to say, the one album is now two! I've also almost finished Drew's to take to him when we go to Albuquerque next weekend - his is almost as big!

Back to Documented Life - with August came a new theme: Faces, The Human Form and Characters. Yikes! I've never drawn a face or body except stick figures! I was terrified and procrastinated big time.

Aug. 1
Art Challenge: Expressive Faces
Journal Prompt: "What I See Clearly Now"

So this was my face. I followed Dina Wakley's drawing instructions in her new book Art Courage.  I now wish I had stopped with the drawing instead of moving on to painting it! I'm not that happy with it but it is my first attempt so, hopefully, I'll get better! For the journal prompt, I wrote around her head saying that I can clearly see that I need lots of practice!

Since I wanted to focus on the drawing, I did a minimal background using a few spray inks and stencils. I used the entire left page for the calendar information because I didn't want to spread the face over two pages.

I am still two weeks behind, not including the current week, so I'd better get moving! The next challenge is Characters so hopefully that will be easier.(?)