Monique8x10 inches
Acrylics on Canson Mi Teintes Tex Card
This was the commission I completed a few weeks ago, when experimenting with a few different mediums and finally settled on the acrylics. This portrait was another example of where I was given a wonderful reference photo to work with, which made my job so much more enjoyable. A delightful looking littel girl, and because the photo was taken outside, there are beautiful reflections in her eyes which really add to her portrait. So, many of the same principals I outlined in my last blog for taking good reference photos for pet portraits also apply when taking photos for people portraits.
12 comments:
Beautiful work Karen.....you get the skin tones so soft and translucent with Acrylics.
Thank you Vic - I think it has a lot to do with the surface I'm working on at the moment which makes it quite easy to get the nice soft skin tones!!! :)
You are so right about the photos - I always tell people - The better the photo, the better the painting. I'm going to look up this new paper you are using! What a wonderful portrait Karen. But I guess we've all come to expect those from you now. :)
Just beautiful Karen. Pretty girl to and a great job .
Really well done Karen, I always think the best photos are done outside in natural daylight unless you have special equipment. Of course those reflections in the eyes are priceless)
Thank you all Deb, Dors and Sam for all your lovely words. Deb, I know for some reason Canson released the Mi Teintes Tex paper in Australia first and I'm not sure it has hit the states yet. It is very similar to the Colourfix, but not quite as abrasive, although it is a bit harsh on your brushes.
I saw that Mi Tienes isn't available in the states yet, so my plan was to take a close look at the pastel papers available in our local art supply stores. I'd never considered using acrylics on pastel paper before...I don't know why. I think I've tried them on everything else. You always give me something to think about Karen!
Deb, if you want to email with me your address, I am happy to send you some samples to play with. I think the best part of all this blogging etc. is that we can share our discoveries with each other - don't you reckon?
Karen, lovely work on this child. Apart from the surface you are working on, is any airbrush involved, or how do you achieve such softness with the acrylic?
Thank you Mona - there is no airbrushing involved at all. Much of the skin is done using quite a dry technique. I work with the acrylics on a damp paper towel and pick up the paint with a brush that is only just wet, and then brush much of the paint off on the wet paper towel. Whatever is left on the brush is dragged off by the texture of the paper. Whereas the dress was done with two layers of quite thick acrylics.I vary the technique depending on which part of the portrait I'm working on.
Karen, your work is amazing! Beautiful eyes and skin tones!
Thank you so much for your kind comments Barbara - it certainly helps to have a gorgeous subject!! :)
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