Portrait step by step

I took photos at each stage of the portrait process.
I started in pencil, making sure I get all the important details.

Then I block it all in, in a dark shade.

After that I am ready for color. I spend a little time in the beginning to mix up some basic skin tones. I can always tweak them a little if they are not just right.

After a few hours it's good to step away from your work. It gives the oil paint a little time to set up. Everything looks better in the morning anyway!

Art Class

We had a great art class tonight. Shakir did a painting in one sitting.
Jerri who has been out for a few weeks is doing a fabulous job on her beach scene. She is working the colors into wet paint & finding out that blending is much easier that way.
Janet is working on her still life & learning how to shade colors on fabric. This is her first still life.
Leilani is doing a portrait of her favorite person (no it's not me) lol! It's Marilyn Monroe. Portraits can be a little time consuming but worth the effort!
Great job guys!

New Portrait Painting

Here is my new portrait I am doing of my friend & co worker. I asked her to go through her letters & keepsakes & gather things that described who she is. I also asked her to look through magazines & tear out places she would like to go, places she had explored & anything that appealed to her.
I used those things to create an exciting background. She loves it so far.


In the second photo I added some acrylic paint to bring the images together. I also glazed over the top of a letter from her husband (in the upper left hand corner) to give keep it cohesive with the overall painting.
After a coat of clear gesso it is ready for oil paint. On to the portrait!