Happy Valentine's Day... Courtesy of Craftsy!!

I just did some last minute Valentine shopping for myself.  ;)  Craftsy.com  is having up to 50% off their classes for Valentine's Day.  The quilting classes, that I have participated in, are packed with information and easy to understand.  I enjoyed them immensely and can watch them over and over again.  As I was browsing their current inventory, I found some interesting videos in the genre of drawing... Yay!!  The prices are extremely reasonable and are comparable to purchasing a book.  I am heading back over to enjoy some quality time with Kerry Brooks or maybe Eric Johnson... Hmmm... Deciding which one to dive into first will be tough. :)   

 

 

 

 

 

Baby in Graphite WIP 8

 

I am moving right along on the little guy.  Amazing how much work can get done by just setting a little time aside to relax and draw.  ;)  The shoulder cuff and top half of his left arm are all that are left to do.  It might take a little longer with the thermal shirt, but this is where the grid helps me to save a ton of time.  It keeps all the minute details in line.  The  overall piece will get some darkness added to it, once the whole composition is filled in.  My next post should be the finished piece!  :)

 

 

Baby in Graphite WIP 7

Happy New Year Everyone!  My wishes for a wonderful 2015 for us all.  I usually like to start the New Year with a finish, but there were circumstances beyond my control that prevented the completion of  this work.  That's alright!  We enjoyed a quiet and warm Christmas here in Northern Illinois, so I am not complaining.  :) 

Since January has been welcomed in with sub zero temps,  I have migrated back into the warm studio area of our house.  There has been some productive work going on and thoughts are being given to this year's goals.  Very little work has been produced at my board over the past year... *sigh*...  I have been giving serious thought to some goal setting for the year, but that can wait for another time.  Here is the progress on the little man who currently resides on my board.

 
He is a real doll and shaping up well.  The zipper on the jacket is a little tedious, but it has been moving along well.  One of my short term goals is to get him finished in the next week. :)

Baby in Graphite WIP 6

The photo below shows how the portrait looks after the initial blending.  As you can see, there are subtle changes on the skin that give it minimal definition.  Since the graphite is blended over the majority of the area, the missing highlights make a huge difference in the appearance of the skin (easiest to see on the dark ear).   The harsh lighting to the right was left alone for maximum impact.  This step is always exciting and a little frightening at the same time, because I know a major change is about to happen with the chiseling out of the features. :)

 

The right side of the face (from our point of view) held the harshest lighting and darkest shadows.  So, graphite was pulled out with a kneaded and click eraser and more layers added to the folds of the ear, creases under the eye, cheek and jaw line... again, with the most noticeable change being the ear.  This has to be my most favorite part of graphite work.  The initial mapping can be so tedious, which is amazing since I will physically smear all of that hard work, but this step makes it all worth while.  I can still make out plane changes and those careful details simply get built up to the finished product.

I put a few shadows under his face to help determine whether my shading on the lower jaw was dark enough.  The face is going to be left alone until the clothing has been completed.  Clothing is a major comfort zone for me, so I look forward to getting lost in the folds.  ;)

Baby in Graphite WIP 5

Here is a glimpse into the early work stages of the skin in a portrait.  This photo captures the initial mapping of the rest of the check area and ear.  Although this little guys skin is baby smooth, the beginning layout of graphite is subtle for all types of subjects, even if the person has advanced age lines.  There might be a few areas that the pencil lines are very tight and appear more dense; but overall, this is simply a road map of where the shadows and plane changes appear.   It is a little difficult to see the pencil marks on the Bristol in this size, but you can click on the image to enlarge.  The next step will be to blend the entire area with the exception of small areas of  harsh highlights.  Then, the erasing and building up of graphite will begin.  :)

 

Baby in Graphite WIP 4

Such a tremendous change in temperature around here,  I can honestly say that it is chilly outside.  My time has been split between working on my Hummingbird quilt (while the real ones fight at the feeder outside my window) and making a little more progress at the drawing board.  Here is a glimpse of this little guy's eye after it has had its initial blending... very flat, but you can see the undercurrent of what the depth of his iris will be.

 

After a little lifting of graphite-- more blending-- more lifting etc. etc., here is where the eye is at currently.  A little more definition and some highlights to the lashes are needed, but it is getting closer to completion.  ;)

Baby in Graphite WIP 3

Vacation and a warmer than usual studio have slowed progress on this drawing.   This photo was taken with my overhead light on.  It was an intentional wash out to lose the blotchy look from lack of natural light.  As you can see, I am working my way across the forehead.   Not too much time is being spent in that area until the eye makes an appearance.  The darkest shading from the eye will be what sets the tone for the area surrounding, but I wanted to get the basic shading in.  Babies have such an odd hairline.  It is fun to try and make the fuzzy new hair come to life.