Today I added more shadowing to the face, along with more details (eye lashes, eye brows, etc.). Added the hair and completed his "Cherry Earring"! I have to admit, however, that when it came to the hair I did use brown, black and orange ink pens to achieve the fineness of the strands of hair, in addition to the colored pencil layers. I didn't do any blending in the hair because I like the strands to show ... to me it provides a more natural look and feeling.
Next I decided to work on just the bowl that holds the cherries. For a reference I pulled out an old bowl that has been in the family for eons! From since I can remember, Jim's Mom would fill it will whole nuts at Christmas Time and it would be sitting on the coffee table during the entire Christmas Season offering up tasty nuts of all kinds with several sets of nut crackers.
Anyway, back to the drawing, I completed the bowl with several layers of brown shades and some yellow and ochre....then I used a "stub" (a paper stick that has been tightly rolled and sharpened on each end) to burnish the multiple layers.
Tomorrow I will begin working on the cherries, Jim's parents had many cherry trees in their backyard; I liked the flavor of the Bing cherries best, but the beautiful colors in the Royal Ann cherries has always intrigued me, so I will be filling this bowl with Royal Ann's!
As an aside, today I contacted Alyona Nickelsen to make sure it was OK to be referencing her name, her book, and her website in my blog. I was quite delighted when she responded back and said it was fine for me to do so. She is quite a remarkable woman!
That said, if you like working with colored pencils it would be a wonderful asset to your art library to purchase her book "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" (Techniques for Achieving Luminous Color and Unltrarealistic Effects) by Alyona Nickelsen at BrushAndPencil.com. Her blog also has available a wonderful wealth of information, be sure to check it out!
Happy Day!
Karen Anne Brady
Karen Anne, I love how his eyes are so in depth looking at the cherry! He is really thinking! Fantastic! And, I love his hair! The bowl is totally amazing! I hope this sketch is for someone special! Hugs ;o)
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say, that was really nice of Alyona Nickelsen to get back to you!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say, that was really nice of Alyona Nickelsen to get back to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying so, Stacy. That means I captured what I was striving for. I still want to add just a dab to make the eyes just an itsy bit better.
ReplyDeleteWell .... I wasn't making it for anyone in particular ... I think I am making it for myself? Do you think I might have stumbled onto something relevant just now? If you make it for yourself, you have no pressure or outside disturbances so you are at your creative best?
Hmmmm..... this is definitely something to think about. Thanks Stacy! You have just helped me to view what I do from another aspect!
BIG BIG HUGS!
This is so beyond beautiful! So much detail, thank you for sharing the WIP pictures, I love the process!
ReplyDeleteMaking art for someone definitely has its pressure moments, and I agree with you, making it for ourselves you can go at your pace any way you want.
Either way is good for me, and this painting is simply beautiful Karen
PS the "captcha" code in blogs always give me trouble :o(
Hey Martha, I'm glad you are enjoying the WIP pictures and the process I am employing.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmm, I thought I had gotten rid of that "captcha" code thing ... guess it came back?
Have a great day Martha!
You know what, it's so true, when you make things for yourself, there is no pressure. Maybe we are at our creative best ;o)
ReplyDeleteI have a set of prismacolors that I take out and play with now and again...but I don't think (even with the book) that I could do anything as beautiful as this. I do agree that creating without pressure brings out the best!
ReplyDeleteI guess then we are in agreement, Stacy and Debbie, working without pressure does seem to bring out our creative best.
ReplyDeleteI will say one thing, Debbie, I could NOT created a picture with this vibrancy and depth without this knowledge I gained from this book. It really is a "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" ... a terrific reference tool!