Victoria's Art

A page from my sketchbook

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 05:11:00 +0000

If you're wondering why anyone would spend several hours drawing a boring, old onion, the answer's pretty simple. For me, at least. I wanted to know if I could.

You see, much as I admire photorealism, I've never really wanted to give up the artistic licence that more arty pictures allow. Yet, I always wonder if I could do it if I wanted to. I'm not sure if I've quite achieved it with this - I discovered that a magnifying glass and smoother paper would have helped. Still, I learnt a lot and it probably turned out better than I expected.

Here are the stages for this sketch:

The outline in graphite pencil.

Outlining details with raw umber.

The first layers of colour.

Building up form.

Almost ready to improve the contrast.

Finished!

Does it look real, do you think?

Journals and Sketchbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 05:15:00 +0000

The past couple of years have been a lean time for me as far as art is concerned. It seemed that my pictures were getting worse rather than progressing so I took a few breaks and concentrated mainly on hobbies, journals and a little experimenting in my sketch book. I guess I was still hoping to find my mojo, again.

The top picture is a rough sketch that I was experimenting with, this morning. It's a long time since I did much with graphite pencils but I have some ideas in my head that I'm itching to experiment with. (Hopefully, these will be the subjects of my next posts.)

Here below are some pages from different journals that could possibly inspire some more journaling ideas. Most of them aren't particularly artistic and some are just practical.

This pen, ink and coloured pencil sketch was drawn quite rapidly as my husband and I sat on our veranda, chatting on a warm, spring afternoon. I love pen and ink as it is so quick and expressive. (The corn was delicious, BTW!)

This is a recipe journal that I hope to add much more of our favourite recipes to. The pictures are drawn with coloured pencils. I'm hoping that it will become like one of those treasured, grandma's recipe books that are passed down through the generations - but, I may need to experiment with the drawings first.

This one is my hobbies journal. In this book, so far, I have written out knitting and crochet patterns, as well as photos of finished projects. I haven't done much sewing, lately, but, when I do, that will go in this journal, too.

The hobbies journal also has some useful tables and information such as this conversion chart which converts US crochet terms to the UK versions.

This journal is a pretty, red colour on the outside but inside it's just plain and useful. I use it for lists, ideas and reminders. I also use my iPad for reminders but I'm still attached to the old-fashioned paper way of doing things!

Here's an old diary page from a couple of years ago. This diary sort of petered out as my struggles with art grew. I've recently bought a beautiful, tinted journal to make a pictorial, family diary but, typical of me, I've been too afraid to ruin it with my first entry!

This is another old journal that I hope to pick up, again. The children and I enjoy nature study together but it takes some discipline to keep up a nature journal. When I got my first DSLR, a couple of years ago, we started taking photos instead but I still think that a handmade journal is much more personal.

This is a watercolour pencil experiment from one of my sketchbooks. Last Christmas, one of my daughters bought me a gorgeous, wooden watercolour pencil set and I've been experimenting to see how I can make them work with my normal pencils. I had some nice effects by using them as a base for portrait work - it speeded up the process hugely - but I think I would use them more for illustration than fine portraiture.

This red journal is my daily diary. The entries in here are short enough that I have been able to persevere with it through every day of this year. Quite an achievement for the queen of putting things off till tomorrow!

And, finally, my little pile of journals. One journal that is missing is a travel journal - simply because I haven't done any traveling, lately! Something else to put in my dream basket...

Portrait of Bethany

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 06:24:00 +0000

This a portrait of my daughter, Bethany.

I've really enjoyed doing this picture. The Polychromos are beautiful to use. Unlike the Prismacolors, I can add multiple layers without the picture suddenly becoming clogged with wax. At times, the pencils almost felt like paint.

I am still experimenting but I feel much more comfortable with my art again, now.

Here are some of the stages for this portrait.

The initial outline in dark flesh.

The first of the skin layers.

Does it look a bit eighteenth-century with the white hair?

The general flow of the hair in a mid-tone.

With the hair taking shape, I could see problems with the features and the colour of the flesh. More contrasting and subduing layers needed.

At this stage, I realised I'd been taking some of the photos at a strange angle - oops!

Somehow, the picture ended on a slant - another oops!

Next, I have the urge to do some soft graphite and two-tone portraits. I'll share how it goes.

:-)

Portrait of Joel in stages

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 12:12:00 +0000

This is a portrait of one of my sons. It was a bit of an experiment as I have been transitioning from using Prismacolor pencils to Faber-Castell Polychromos. The Prismacolors weren't suited to my style and it took me three years of discouragement to finally realise that my technique wasn't the problem. I just needed more suitable materials. It's a relief as the problems I was having were destroying my love of art and my confidence.

I'm really loving the Polychromos. I will write about what I learnt later in the post.

Here are some of the stages of Joel's portrait.

I started with some light shading, rather than laying down the palest colours. This is my original technique which I abandoned to copy more accomplished artists when I first used the Prismacolors. It is a better method for me.

Gradually building up some light detail.

Still not a lot of likeness. The shadows will give more character.

Starting to look like him. Now adding features and building up skin tones.

Starting with the basic form of the hair in a light to mid-tone.

Getting to the really fun stage where the foundation is set and the rest is improvement.

More layers to hopefully add realism and life.

Colour adjustments and finishing off.

Some of the pictures look a bit blue but the paper is actually cream. Joel was squinting at the midday sun so there was a lot of yellow about.

These photos were taken with my iPad. On my to-do list is to find the right light to take accurate and clear photos with my DSLR. Coloured pencil pictures change a lot in intensity with different types of light but, on my screen, the final photo looks quite like the real life version.

I learnt such a lot from doing this picture. There's things I would have done differently - like use a smoother paper (a dumb mistake - I used the wrong side by accident!) and I wouldn't have used the few layers of Prismacolors in the middle stages. Both problems had me experimenting to smooth out the layers in the final stages.

I have full sets of Prismacolors and Derwent Coloursofts (which I quite like) but I am still building up my collection of Polychromos so I was short on colours and supplemented with Prismacolors. The Derwent Coloursofts were useful in adding some pastel-like softness in the later stages. They are quite powdery, whereas Prismacolors are creamy, very blendable and, unfortunately for me, prone to a crayon-like clogging.

I'm now looking forward to putting what I've learnt into practice with the next picture.

From my drawing board this week

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:32:00 +0000

This is a coloured pencil drawing of my daughter which I finished, a few days ago.

I usually prefer a blue, beige or grey background so this yellow was a bit of an experiment. To me, it seems to overwhelm the subject with its boldness and the delicate shadows were lost in its midst. For someone who likes finely rendered drawings, it felt a bit too noisy for my style.

Fuzzy photo of drawing of fuzzy photo of man with fuzzy beard.

This portrait was finished, today.

It was drawn from an old, nineteenth century photograph. The quality of the photo was typical of the era - high contrast and very little detail in between - so I improvised. Luckily, the features were clear enough to allow for a good enough likeness.

As I drew this picture, I became fascinated by the wild beard and clean-shaven chin. I guess, as far as looks go, this was quite conservative 150 years ago but, to a modern, enlightened connoisseur of fashion, it must seem quite crazy and eccentric.

Apparently, nineteenth-century males eagerly awaited their first signs of facial hair. It appears that a fuzzy demeanour was irrefutable proof of one's manhood. Or, perhaps, a means of covering the scars inflicted by those lethal cut-throat razors in one's youth...

Whatever the reason, I think the beard gives this man an abundance of character. He is unsmiling but not humourless, capable but not proud, authoritative yet not arrogant. Despite his imposing facial decorations, I don't think this man seems imposing, at all. The kindly, intelligent eyes just seem a more obvious focal point when framed by a mass of grey and curly locks.

Stages of the Little Boy Portrait from the Start

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:02:00 +0000

I've taken a step backwards with this portrait - back to methods that I used to use before I began to blog about technique - and, it seems to be working better for me.

Instead of applying light layers of pale wash first, going from light to dark tones, I have applied red, blue and brown shades first. Then, I have alternated between darks and lights, gradually building up the layers and increasing the pressure to create depth.

Here's the stages of progress from the beginning.

At this stage, a simple coloured outline is all that's been applied. Everything has been rendered lightly so that drafting errors can be corrected if necessary.

The shading is very blue here and, again, lightly applied.

Next, some red tones. The colour is bright scarlet but the pressure is slight.

Some light peach and orange hues have been laid down here and the eyes have been started with shades of blue.

The eyes seem to dominate, at this stage, but they are still too pale. More shading will bring more depth.

Brown shading now gives a more 3D effect and the eyes appear a little less exaggerated.

In between shading, I keep adding layers of light peach, peach, pink and yellow to bring out the highlights and add a glow to the skin.

The eyes have been intensified with black, blues and some white highlights. The eyelids have been shaded with many different colours including reds, browns, pinks, orange and peach. For one layer, I introduced a spruce green in the darkest areas.

Now, the hair is begun. The first step is to draw the shape of the strands - never individual hairs - using a mid-tone, which in this case is a light ochre.

Some brown ochre has now been applied to deepen the shadowed areas.

Some yellows and reds bring depth to the hair and create a more natural look - real hair is made up of many different colours.

The darks have been intensified with darker browns and some black, while the lighter areas have been improved with yellow, orange, red, light brown, grey and white.

I'll return to finish the hair and face, later, but, the next step from here will be the body and the background. The head seems unbalanced because it was snuggled into a cushion so I won't be able to improve it much more until I see it in the context of the surroundings.

Some of the pictures appear a little blue but the ground is actually a light grey. I took the last photos on my iPad and it seems to have recreated quite well the picture as I see it in real life.

Back into Portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 07:30:00 +0000

It's been a while since I posted. In fact, it's been over a year since I finished anything other than a journal page:-/

But, the urge to paint and draw has been niggling, all this while, and so, this week, I sat down to start a new project - another portrait of my youngest son.

The picture is in its early stages, right now.

I've started with light shading, rather than a pale wash, this time - reds, blues and browns. Then, I've laid down very light skin tones over the top. There's lots more layers to go, yet, especially as the grey ground seems to swallow up the pigment. At the moment, I'm applying yellows and pinks to bring out the glow of the skin and, at the same time, I'll keep adding more reds, blues, greys and brown to add definition.

While I was at a standstill with my art, I dabbled in a bit of photography and discovered a new passion!

The bottom photo shows my reference photo after a bit of photo-editing. I've found that I really, really love being creative with portrait photography - both as an aid to artwork and as an art in itself. So, now I have a new hobby that I can blog about:-)

But, right now, I'm on an art type of roll, so it's back to the drawing board...

Picture of Mary and Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 06:46:00 +0000

I've just about finished the sketching stage of a picture of Mary and Jesus. This photo is a bit dull, having been taken on the iPad, but it shows, somewhat roughly, the progress that's been made. The pencil strokes are very light, at this stage, so I had to increase the contrast of the photo to enable the sketch to be easily viewed on the screen.
I wasn't sure which subject pose would be win out until I began to sketch, and this one became the final choice. It seemed more straightforward than the other pose - less adjustments were needed - and it felt right. Something about the fact that they were looking deeply into each other's eyes caught my interest. There's trust and love between them.
Mary's expression will be altered slightly, as I progress - I've already adjusted the focus of her attention so that she is looking into the child's eyes. In the photo, she is looking down a little more. I would also like to introduce a slight smile to her lips - serious and serene, but loving. She has respect and joy, at the same time. The child's face seemed right to me, so I've tried to capture it as it is in the photo.
The head covering needs a lot of adjustment. It had slipped down too far, in the photo. I wanted to show some of her hair and the beautiful shape of her head but I also want to capture her modesty and respect for convention. This may have to be completed with a drawing of the covering from life, to ensure that the folds are realistic and suggestive of soft flows, rather than stiff, inflexible ridges.
There will probably be another correction of the head shape, as I can see from the photo that the shape of the skull is a little odd, under the cloth. Viewing the picture on the computer is really useful as it accentuates any errors and helps me to recognise and correct them. It's important to get the general proportions accurate at this stage, as coloured pencil drawings are very difficult to alter, later. I generally work with very light strokes to easily allow for necessary adjustments and to build up depth slowly. This way, a more accurate and realistic effect is more likely to result.
The next step is to lay the washes for the skin tones. This is a time-consuming part of the process but it's important not to rush it, with fewer, heavier strokes, if the skin is to look delicate and softly lifelike.
It's been some months, since I have done one of these portraits and I must admit that I found it quite difficult to make a start but, as usual, the world quickly melted away once I began. The heavenly peace that art brings me is difficult to articulate without sounding slightly daft. Perhaps, the fact that Jesus is the true artist and I am the instrument may explain this pure joy and contentment - Jesus is the creative source here and it seems that Mary is His apprentice, as her presence is also very much part of the process.

Drawing from Life

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:28:00 +0000

Today, Melanie and I did some life drawing.

I don't normally draw children from life because they are awfully fidgety:-P Melanie is no exception. Modelling bores her and she was itching to get on with her own drawing.

The result? A so-so sketch of Melanie with a sad look on her face:-/

Because our modelling session was cut short (due to my subject's lack of enthusiasm;-)), I had to finish off using memory alone. So, the likeness isn't quite good enough for a finished portrait - but, for a quick sketch, it was a useful exercise.

These coloured portraits are of Melanie, too, but they were done from photos.

Drawing from life is really good practice for lots of different reasons. It allows the artist to see the colours and form of the subject without distortion, and also to focus on the characteristics and details which are important to the composition, perspective and personality of the artwork. There can be a temptation to try and produce an exact copy of the photo, instead of drawing upon the technique and creativity that makes art a personal expression of the relationship between the subject and the beholder. I find that I use freer and bolder strokes with life drawings. That allows me to work with more confidence and, often, results in a more lively and natural looking portrait.

Melanie wanted drawing lessons, today, but I'm reluctant to restrict her creativity, at aged 8, so instead of structured lessons, we have sketching sessions together. I have to keep encouraging her progress because children sometimes compare their results unfavourably to adults' efforts. I showed her how to map out the features of her portrait accurately and, then, allowed her to proceed her own way. Happily, she made good progress and was really pleased with what she'd been able to do.

Oil Painting of my Daughter, aged 3

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:57:00 +0000

This is an oil painting of my daughter, aged three.

I haven't painted in oils, for quite a while, because it's so much easier to work with pencils, when you don't have a good studio space. Recently, one of our sons decided that he needed his own bedroom so my little studio has become a teenage retreat:-(

I even lost my nice chair to the study! This is what happens when the captain leaves the bridge, for a while;-)

My art station is permanently set up, in a corner of our rumpus room, now. The light's not too great but, with a bit of planning, it shouldn't be so bad. I'm not sure the family is going to welcome the fumes, when I get out the oils, though!

I love coloured pencils but there's something really special about oils. I use a good quality sable brush to get the fine details. I can get more control from using a medium sized brush with a point than with a very small brush. Sable brushes hold the paint well and don't leave hairs on the canvas. It really is worth buying a good quality brush and looking after it. I wouldn't be able to work properly with a cheap brush. It would be too frustrating and I wouldn't be able to paint the fine details.

Because I don't paint in oils very often, I don't stretch my own canvases. Here again, it's worth buying quality. As a teenager, I started out painting on canvas boards but the finished texture is harsher and the paint adheres differently to the surface. But, some of the Old Masters used to happily paint on wood so I guess it's a personal choice and a matter of style.

I'm thinking of posting my art on my family blog, Creating with Wisdom, from here on. There will be an art tab, at the top of the blog, which will have these posts on. I may still post finished paintings here, from time to time, but I'm not sure whether the posts on technique are worth continuing. I'm trying to decide whether this blog has been hibernating or whether it's died a natural death ;-)

Until next time, happy painting!

Back to Work Again

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:23:00 +0000

It's been a long time, since I last posted here. That may have something to do with the fact that it's been a long time since I was last able to really concentrate on my portraits. So long, in fact, that my last portrait has collected dust, and specks and spots, and has finally been confined to the trash:-(

Oh well, a new start should probably mean a new project, anyway, and maybe, a change in direction. I have lots of ideas which have been on hold, as I have been busy with the family and their school work. Just what will work, given the short bursts of time that I have to work with, remains to be seen.

My sister, Sue, has been encouraging me to venture into religious art for quite a while, now, and I must admit that I've had the thought to portray the suffering Jesus, for some years. The only thing stopping me is confidence - to dare to undertake such a project seems an awesome responsibility. It's not something I would want to do badly.

Lifestyle portraits are another art form that I love to do. Norman Rockwell is one of my very favourite artists, despite his commercial orientation. I love the wholesomeness of his postwar family scenes, rather more than his later, political work, regardless of which may be the most deserving of artistic merit. For a long time, I have had an ambition to do my own version of modern, wholesome family life, in the 21st century - perhaps, as an antidote to the negative and politically-conscious type of creativity that seems popular, these days. Among the families I know and the environment we live in, that hope-filled positivity is a reality and it would feel a bit like a personal mission to portray it in all its beauty.

My third ambition is to write a children's book. I've had an idea for a plot, since I was a young mum with just three children. The trouble is that writing is not really my strong point. I wonder if I could learn the skills or whether I really should concentrate on the illustrations and pass the story over to my talented sister - if I could persuade her to take it on, that is!

In an effort, to ease myself back into a work routine, I've been going through my old paintings and drawings. This usually makes me either giggle a little patronisingly at the so-called 'artist' of my past or cringe with shame. The picture, above, is a first attempt at an acrylic portrait, which I painted when my eldest daughters were one and four years old (they are now 18 and 21). It wasn't exactly a success and I never painted with acrylics, again - I found them flat and plasticky, compared to oils.

I also spoilt this portrait with a lack of confidence. You see, I had got the likeness. Even now, the picture straightaway takes me back to my daughters' preschool years and I can remember how excited I was to have got their appearance right. The trouble was that I was scared to finish it off, in case I ruined it. So, what I was left with was an unfinished picture which, by its incompleteness, was ruined anyway. I think this painting was a great lesson to me in taking risks. Since that time, I have been much more willing to risk destroying a picture than wasting my time coveting an unfinished project.

So, which direction now? There's too many choices! But, I must admit that, despite a bit of trepidation, I am feeling excited about getting back to it, again:-)

Jordy - Drawing Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:02:00 +0000

As a teenager, I remember being told that the vocations of motherhood and serious artist are pretty much mutually exclusive. But, being passionate about my art and, also, of an equally passionate maternal disposition, this notion didn't sit well with me. However, after twenty years of motherhood, I have to admit that there is some truth to this, after all. With a nearly two-year-old to nurture and seven other children still at home, my drawings have to fit around the needs of the family, and progress can sometimes be positively snail-paced. This has meant that I have been unable to take advantage of the opportunities that have been presented to me, as an artist, and, being unwilling to abandon my passion completely, I plod along with slow, but sure and steady, progress, satisfying my own deep creative desires and attempting to combine my love for my family and my love for art in such a way as to neglect neither, but to tend to both, in the most happy realisation of their individual potentials.

This may be the reason why I am enjoying this portrait of my youngest son so much. I love bringing his little face to life on paper and I, also, have the luxury on working on a project, out of pure love for both my subject and my art. There is no pressure to meet any outside expectations and I can proceed at a pace which suits the needs of all my little ones.

Having said that, it should come as no surprise to find that I am still at a very early stage in this picture.

I have started with the eyes, which is something I am doing more and more rarely. It makes sense to lay down the initial washes for the skin first because the eyes can only be taken to a certain point before the skin of the eyelids, etc, must be incorporated into the surrounding areas. I, also, don't like to put undue emphasis on any one feature or part of the face, as I find that the whole must be taken together to avoid an imbalance and to keep the relationship between the different parts in harmony. However, I was itching to start on these sweet eyes so I began with the eyeballs, and, then, applied the washes when it became time to work on the skin around the eyes.

At this stage, the eyeballs still need defining shadows and some tweaking, but the colour of the irises has been laid down. The irises are exciting to render. A combination of scribbles, hazy blending, sharp highlights and soft, dewy tones will result in an element of realism. It is important to recognise the shadow which the upper eyelid and the eyelashes impose upon the eyeball, as to omit this simple stage will destroy all realism.

Also, note that the white of the eye is never just white. It may look grey, pale blue, beige or a combination of several colours. It may, also, reflect the colour of the skin and appear pinkish. When applying colour to the whites of the eye, it is necessary to be aware of the roundness of the eyeball and to shadow the contours accordingly.

Take note, too, of the inner and outers corners of the eye. The inner corner often has a moist highlight and is usually a darker pink than the surrounding skin. The outer corner is often shadowed by the brown of the eyelashes, before turning to the pink colour of the lower lid. Where the upper lid shadows the eyeball, the lower lid usually reflects the light that falls upon it from above. At the point where the iris meets the lower lid, there is often a mergence of reflected colour.

Because the centre of the eye is closer to the viewer, due to the contours of its form, it is often shadowed less than the corners, so I use a lighter touch here. The corners of the eye, by contrast, are more shadowed, so I use darker tones and, often, a heavier pressure.

Here the basic form of the eyeballs as been applied.

I have begun, now, to lay down the greys, blues and violets of the irises.

The pupils have been rendered, using pure black and a heavy pressure. More grey and a little black has been applied to the irises. The eyelids have been marked with a pink pencil and the whites of the eyes have been rendered using pale blue, violet and peach.

The deepest tones need to be intensified and highlights will be lifted, using a putty rubber and Blutak. The rendering of the shadows will add much to the realism and the careful rendering of the eyelids and eyebrows will be invaluable to the successful depiction of the character of the subject.

I am at an exciting stage. Next time, I hope to show you more of this little guy's personality, as I work on the defining features of his impish face. In the meantime, it's back to my labour of love!

A New Project

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:02:00 +0000

This is Jordan. I've drawn him, before on this blog - as a newborn and, also, as an 11 month old baby. In this photo, he is about 20 months old and he's grown into a very active toddler.

This time, the quality of the photo isn't too bad. I can see quite a lot of detail and I have the great advantage of having my subject close at hand, in real life. I know his little face like the back of my hand. In fact, this is how I can tell that the mouth isn't quite right.

A photo shouldn't lie but, in reality, it often does. Jordan was pursing his lips in an uncharacteristic expression, in this shot. The result is that his mouth looks smaller than it really is. So, I had to make a decision - was the photo worth using? Especially, as my subject was readily available to sit for another photo? If I hadn't been so familiar with his face, I would have said 'no.' But, as it is, I'm quite confident that I can improve the likeness with my real life observations - and I like the photo, so I'll go ahead.

The other reason for persevering with this picture is that good photos of toddlers are hard to come by. Little people rarely stay still, for a moment - and, this particular toddler is especially active. I have a great many photos of the back, top and sides of his head. We, even, have photos of him sleeping and, by contrast, snapshots of him blurring, in rapid motion, through the picture frame. But, a photo of him looking candidly at the camera is like gold dust.

Why I would want him looking at the camera is a further point of interest. Normally, I don't like my subjects to be staring at the camera, in what I see as an unnatural pose. I prefer them to be engaged in a characteristic activity or contemplation. This time, however, I was interested in a study of the eye - partly, as a step-by-step tutorial and, partly, because the big, wide eyes of infants are delightful to observe and equally delightful to depict in coloured pencil.

I'm really looking forward to doing this portrait of one of my little guys!

Concept Art

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:05:00 +0000

This is a picture by Carrie, which she drew on her iPad.

Unlike Megan and myself, Carrie has used colour from the start, and she has drawn from her imagination. This has allowed her to use bold, confident strokes and to develop her own style, without being unduly inhibited by imaginary or perceived standards.

Interestingly, though, Carrie is now turning to realism and is experimenting with graphite pencils. I encourage her in that, as basic drawing skills are very useful, regardless of style. Having developed her technique in reverse order to my own, won't disadvantage her learning, as I can see that, even in her experiments with realism, Carrie retains her individual style, which is almost ethereal, at times.

It is interesting to compare and contrast Carrie's style to her personality. Like the characters she portrays, Carrie is a strong and independent girl, but I have to say she doesn't possess the attitude that some of her pictures might imply.

Here is some of her recent work.

This is a concept picture, drawn as an assignment for Carrie's course in film production.

This picture shows Carrie's interest in animation. Carrie loves Disney and Pixar movies, and hopes to work as an animator, one day.

Portrait of the Artist

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:20:00 +0000

I couldn't resist sharing this portrait with you all.

It's not one of mine - it's actually a portrait of me, drawn by my daughter, Megan. And, of course, I'm a proud mother!

I have to say that I have had no direct influence on Megan's ability as an artist. Other than provide her with examples of my own work to study, I had little to do with her progress and, certainly, offered her nothing in the way of formal instruction. So, at first, it was a bit of a surprise to see her following my interests and, in some ways, mirroring my own style.

Here is another portrait that she drew of her youngest brother, Jordan. I love this one!

My second daughter, Carrie, has also taken up art, as a hobby. Unlike Megan and myself, she prefers computer art and specialises in stylised characters, drawn on her iPad - something that I find very hard to do. I'll post some of her work, soon.

The Nun is Done

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:16:00 +0000

More or less finished - and looking a bit grainy in the photo. Only a couple of little touch-ups to go.
Here is the original photo to compare.

A Style of One's Own

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:37:00 +0000

At certain stages of my learning, I have been tempted by the challenge of photo-realism. It would seem that my pride and vanity would be justly rewarded by the ability to produce a 'wow' factor in the minutely accurate imitation of observable reality. However, while I gain great satisfaction in producing representations of the real beauty I see around me, I find little satisfaction in spending countless hours reproducing an image which a camera could snap in a second. For me, art is more than a visual record of a material reality. It is, in addition to this, the interpretation of a subject, the revealing of a character, the defining of beauty and so much more besides.

It is, also, for me, the ultimate form of self-expression. I'm not implying that artists who specialise in photo-realism are lacking in these qualities or are, in any sense, artistically inferior. Or, even, that photographers are not creative or artistic, in their own right. Rather, I am saying that my own creative impulses have found their fulfilment in the development of a style which is fundamentally expressionist and, at times, impressionist, but never solely realistic, in its purpose.

Developing a style which is unique and personal can take time and, in my opinion, should not be forced or consciously directed. Creative freedom usually results in works of sincerity and individuality, if one has the courage to trust in the source of creativity and the integrity to develop an effective technique and personal artistic philosophy.

My own portfolio contains a number of works of differing styles. Some of these have been experimental - adventures in technique which have acted as learning curves for subsequent progression. Others are examples of styles which have provided a lasting means of self-expression and creative fulfilment. The picture above is one such example. It is a simple impression of a character which has been executed quite rapidly compared to my usual, more realistic style of portraiture. I enjoy creating impressions of real images, producing an effect which comes to life as one steps back further from the image and expressing my delight in colour, light, form and character - and the materials themselves - with boldness, fluidity, delicacy, drama, subtlety and any number of other emotions which can be realised by the simple action of pencil on paper.

The Religious Sister - Blending

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:50:00 +0000

The dark clothing is taking a long time to cover. I don't want to rush this stage as there has been so much work put into the face that it would be a shame to spoil it with a poor background. Also, the habit is an important part of the nun's character. It says a lot about who she is and it substitutes for hair in providing a frame for the face. I have decided, however, to keep the folds simple. There is little movement in the posture of the figure and I don't want to make any folds look contrived by inventing what isn't really there.

The first layers were built up very gradually with light and swirly strokes. See the video below.

Then, I used a Derwent blending pencil to deepen the tones. At this stage, I am halfway through the blending process. The photo below shows the portrait before blending. You can see that the colours are very much more subtle. The blending gives a more painterly feel to the fabric.

The Religious Sister - The Habit

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:12:00 +0000

Despite saying, in my last post, that I was finished with the face, I spent a whole session reworking it. And, I'm not sure that it's actually much different to what it was!

Anyway, now to the background. At the moment, I am applying the first layer of brown to the nun's habit. Even if the shade of brown is a good match, I will apply layers of different colours so that the fabric doesn't look flat. I will apply some red to warm the tones and, also, some pinks and oranges in the lighter areas. Because the nun is in shadow, there are no distinct highlights in her clothing. I find this to be a problem. A lack of contrast will make it harder for me to achieve a realistic effect, so I will supplement my reference photo with other photos of similar clothing.

This nun belongs to the order of the Brigidines. In the 1960s, when this photo was taken, the nuns of this order wore a full habit but, these days, they wear civilian dress and they no longer live in a convent. The photo shows the sister in her early 20s. She is, now, aged 80 and soon to celebrate her 60th anniversary as a nun.

Because they no longer wear a habit, I was unable to find another suitable photo of a Brigidine nun to use as a reference. The following photo does, however, show a similar habit on nuns of a different order, and, as such, it will be very helpful in determining my colours. For example, I can see from this picture that the brown cloth has pink, rather than yellow, highlights. This reference will, also, help me to achieve a more realistic look to the folds than would be possible by guesswork.

The Religious Sister - The Face

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:28:00 +0000

The photo's very grainy but it, more or less, shows where I'm up to with this portrait.

The original photo was a bit of a challenge - there was some guesswork needed to get something close to a reasonable likeness. Here's the original photo - what do you think? Is it her, yet?

Seeing the picture on the screen allows me to pick up details that are hard to distinguish up close. Her right eye, for example, looks good on my drawing board, but I can see that it needs repositioning slightly, when I look at it on the screen. It only needs a slight adjustment but it will make a big difference to the look of the eye and it will improve the likeness. Further flaws will become apparent as the clothes and background are completed, but, for now, the face is done and it's time to move on. Except for that eye which is irritating me, though! As always, there will be constant touch-ups and corrections, as I go.

Here is the original drawing - the one that I felt was much too rough. I think the new portrait is smoother and has a better glow to it. Do you agree?

For the new version, I used Prismacolor pencils for the initial washes and Derwent Artist Pencils for the modelling. I, then, used a combination of Derwent Coloursoft and Prismacolor pencils for the deepest tones and soft blending. I will post the exact colours that I use if anyone would find it useful.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Luncheon of the Boating Party

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:41:00 +0000

"To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them."

--Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Renoir has been a favourite artist of mine, since I was very young, and his portrait paintings have influenced my approach to my own art and the technique that I use. I wrote the following post for our family's homeschooling blog, after studying one of Renoir's most famous paintings, and I thought I would share my thoughts and discoveries here, on my art blog.

*******************************************************

Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party has a special place, in our home. For a number of years, a framed print of this picture sat over our dining table and, now, it hangs on a wall, in our rumpus room, which is a centre for family activity.

Our particular version is quite faded. Like the Old Masters' originals, the colours have become quite dulled, over time. However, unlike the originals, this has not added a mellowed kind of charm to the artwork. Rather, it has left the picture looking very blue and insipid, as the vibrant reds and greens have been bleached by the sun. Looking at images of the original, while I researched for our study, made me realise just how unobservant we have become of our surroundings and how beautiful the original picture is, with its clever use of colour and its depiction of dappled sunlight.

Renoir was about 40 years old when he painted Luncheon of the Boating Party, in 1880-81. At the time, he was anxious to gain acceptance by The Salon, in Paris. This institution held the annual state art exhibition and was the recognised arbitrator of quality art, at the time. It was because of his desire for official acceptance that Renoir began to distance himself somewhat from the more radical Impressionist movement, which was decidedly anti-establishment. He had, already, achieved notable success through painting family portraits of the Parisian aristocracy, and this picture was intended to be his masterpiece. It was painted on a grand, almost life-size scale and proved to be a costly venture, both in time and money. During the six months that he worked on it, Renoir was uncertain whether he would see the project to completion. However, he persevered through financial struggles and frustrating artistic challenges to finish the painting, in early 1881.

The setting for this painting is La Maison Fournaise, a restaurant on an island near the riverside town of Chatou, in the suburbs of Paris. This town had become a popular recreation spot for tourists, who used to hold weekend boating parties here, after the shortening of the working week had freed up their leisure time. Renoir had already painted several other scenes in this location, before he started on this more ambitious project.

Part of the appeal of Renoir's painting is, I think, the cheerful and sociable atmosphere, which is apparent in the picture, and had been enjoyed by Renoir and his friends since the 1870s. The group portrayed is classless, carefree and leisurely. It is represented by artists, writers, journalists, actors, sportsmen and other professionals, and it reflects the eclectic nature of Parisian society, of which Renoir's own circle of friends and colleagues were an important part, during that period.

The painting tells the story of the vibrant cultural life of Paris, despite the fact that Renoir would, later, state:

"What is important is ...to avoid being literary and therefore to choose something that everyone knows--better still, to have no story at all...Under Louis XV, I would have been obliged to paint subjects. What seems to me the most important thing about our movement is that we have freed painting from the subject. I can paint flowers and simply call them 'flowers' without their having a story."

Renoir painted idealised images of his friends and acquaintances, rather than true likenesses. He had painted many of them before and knew them all, personally. In fact, the young woman in the foreground to the left, is his future wife, Aline Charigot. In a clever compositional maneuver, the characters look at one another, leading the eye in a continuous line through the painting. Aline, alone, looks away from the rest of the group, as she gazes at her dog.

Aline replaced the figure of a woman who, along with the seated boatsman on the right, originally, looked directly towards the viewer. This composition would have completely changed the dynamics of the picture, from one where the viewer is a mere observer of the pleasant and leisurely scene to one where the viewer feel inclusion and is, thus, compelled to take a more active role in it's interpretation.

The composition is very balanced, within the scene, despite being complicated by the large number of people, who are each individually characterised and play a role in the 'story'. The two figures, on the left, balance the larger group on the right by means of a tilting floor. Ordinarily, only the tops of the hats would be seen from this angle, so Renoir has altered the perspective to accommodate his unusual and busy composition. Dazzling whites of tablecloth and singlets, also, balance each other by their arrangement in the composition and the triangle of boater hats, in addition to forming a balance, provides a further means of directing the eye around the scene. The awning was added, later in the painting process, to unify the group within its setting and create a more cosy atmosphere.

As in Renoir's other works, different artistic techniques are used which reveal his respect for the methods of the Old Masters, along with his more progressive and innovative experimentation with light and colour. Thick, impressionist dabs of colour were applied in the foreground, while delicate light touches were swept onto the canvas in the background. In another example of his impressionist methods, he has laid down complementary colours side by side to create an impression of unified colour rather than blending the pigments on his palette. This technique has been used to render the fur of the dog, with the result that the impression of reflected light is apparent in a more dynamic way than would be possible using single, static colours.

More traditional techniques were used to paint the people, in order to achieve a smoother blending of tones. This allows for a softer, more attractive depiction of the personalities and is in direct opposition to the dabs of white and red, which create the impression of sunlight, in a balanced pattern throughout the composition.

No preliminary studies or drawings exist for this painting, which is unusual for a work of this magnitude. It appears to be a spontaneous work - the result of continuous development and reworking throughout its execution. Renoir used his friends as models, when they were available, and he made many adjustments - mostly minor but a few major ones - to their poses, as the picture developed.

Despite his progressive, impressionist methods, he looked to the Old Masters for knowledge of technique, as is seen in his treatment of portraiture. He was, particularly, influenced by 18th century Rococo artists, such as Jean-Antoine Watteau, who painted lively scenes of outdoor life amongst the leisurely French aristocracy, in the early 1700s. Watteau's Embarkation for Cythera is a good example of his skilled working of group compositions and his clever depiction of the subtleties of gesture. These were techniques which influenced Renoir and can be seen to good effect, in this painting.

The Luncheon of the Boating Party contains the elements of landscape, portraiture and still life. It succeeds in capturing a snapshot of French life, both in a spontaneous and an historic sense, and I think this goes some way to explain its lasting appeal to the generations which have followed. Not only does the work give us a glimpse of life during a particularly interesting phase of French cultural progression, it also recreates a delightful scene of good humour, companionship and light-hearted discussion, and it appears interesting, stimulating and pleasurable to the viewer, who feels at ease with the charming image.

(Further information can be found here, here and here.)

The Religious Sister - Starting Over Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:48:00 +0000

I've been a bit concerned about the roughness of this portrait. In fact, this is something that has challenged me a lot, since I started using Coloursoft and Prismacolor pencils. They are both very soft pencils and, even on Stonehenge paper with a large-scale project, I find that they need to be handled carefully. The positives are that a deep, intense colour is possible, which gives a realistic depth and vibrancy to the finished picture.

At the moment, I am using smooth watercolour paper and I am working on a small scale project. This meant that I wasn't achieving the delicacy that I desire. I improved the situation, somewhat, by burnishing the skin tones with a layer of pale peach, but it was, still, too flawed to be acceptable. So, I've started afresh with Derwent Artist pencils. These are noticeably harder and I am able to lay down the pigment very slowly, to build up a smooth and flawless finish.

The first step was to trace the old drawing onto tracing paper and transfer the image. I didn't want to go through the sketching process, again, so I merely duplicated the portrait I had already begun. This took about half an hour and I was, then, able to start work on a simple, line rendition of the subject.

At this stage, I erased the pencil marks and replaced them with a pale peach pigment so that the original markings would not show through. Then, I applied two pale washes - cream and pale peach - using Prismacolors. I used the soft pencils for these as they are ideal for laying down even expanses of colour.

Next, I began to model the skin tones and I changed to the harder pencils for this. Using pale pink, peach and pale ochre, I began to build up the shadows of the face. Suddenly, I felt more relaxed than I have since I switched to the softer pencils! The colour is more delicate and I have more control over its application. I will keep applying increasingly darker tones and switch to the softer pencils when I need more depth than is possible with the Artists range of colours.

To achieve anything worthwhile, it is necessary to experiment and push the boundaries - but, I feel that some of my recent experiments with soft pencils have been unsuited to my style. Generally, the softer pencils are considered superior for fine art drawings, but I have been very frustrated that, even with constant sharpening of the pencils, I have not been able to achieve the level of delicacy that I usually aim for. This has affected my confidence as an artist, and it is probably a reason why my last portrait took so much longer to complete than normal. So, while my style is continuing to develop, I think I am taking a bit of a step backwards, at the moment. I am trying to regain the aspects of my style which worked so well for me, before I started experimenting with the soft pencils, whilst, at the same time, trying to take advantage of the qualities of the softer pigments, when the harder ones prove limiting.

The photo above shows the new portrait with its very first layers of modelling. It is very faint, at this stage, and it will take a few more layers before it looks reasonable on the computer screen.

The following photo shows a previous portrait, using harder pencils on watercolour paper and my usual technique. If it is compared to the photo at the top, it seems much more delicate and beautiful to my eyes.

The Religious Sister - Achieving a Likeness through Indistinct Shadows

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:37:00 +0000

There are some important shadows to lay down, before a likeness can be obtained, in this portrait.

Despite the fact that there is an absence of detail, this picture will still need to meet the requirements of any other portrait, as far as achieving a likeness is concerned. Although, the features are indistinct, there is an unmistable impression of character and form, which can be observed in the lie of the shadows. I will work on this and, also, on the colour and texture of the skin, over the next couple of days.

I will, also, need to print out another, larger over-exposed copy of the reference photo to enable me render the mouth accurately. Character shows strongly in the mouth and the eyes so I am concerned that no avoidable mistakes are made in these areas. Over-exposing the photo will lighten up the shadows and reveal previously undetectable features.

Today's photo shows the progress, after about 2 hours of work.

The Religious Sister - Building up skin tones

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:38:00 +0000

Rendering colour from a black and white reference photo is not as difficult as it sounds. Experience of colour is important, of course, because the choice of pigment, then, becomes straightforward. In this portrait, I am working up through the values in roughly the same order as I normally do. In fact, an advantage of the black and white photo is that it shows the contrast between the lights and the darks much clearer than from a colour photo.

A little guesswork is necessary, however, as I can't see the exact skin tones, so the final picture will be an impression, rather than a perfectly accurate depiction of the subject. The lack of clear detail, in the photo, is another reason why I'm not relying on small details to make this picture work.

At this stage, I still have many layers to apply to the lower half of the face, including the mouth. The rest of the face will need more peach and pink tones to bring the skin alive and to smooth it out. I am using smooth watercolour paper for this portrait and I am finding that, with my style, it is more suited to the harder pencils than the soft. Stonehenge paper, so far, has been the most versatile and pleasing surface that I have worked with.

Stylish Blog Award

noreply@blogger.com (Vicky) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Sue at Sue Elvis Writes and Stories of an Unschooling Family, has just passed on a stylish blog award to this blog. Thank you, Sue - I appreciate your support and kind comments.

I've replied to this award here on my family blog, as my artwork is a part of my life which extends to friends and family beyond the art world, so my response was not exclusively art-related. However, I do appreciate everyone who supports this blog - hugely. So much time and effort goes into each portrait that the encouragement I receive makes an incredible difference to my work.

So, a great big thank you to everyone who visits here and enjoys my pictures - those of you who are so kind to leave a comment and those who are happy to browse. The readership numbers have been growing steadily, since I started the blog, and I am so grateful for all your interest and support.

(And, extra thanks to Imogen and Autumn for your interest in my pictures - I hope you are encouraged, in some way, in your own creativity.)