I didn't have many great photos to work from. I was given several, but they were out of focus, dark, and taken too close up. You may have noticed when you take a picture from too close, it distorts the face a bit. So even if I copy the picture exactly, most likely the family will look and say, "Wow, that doesn't really look like her." They constantly reminded us in art classes: Photographs lie. (That's why so many artists work from life I guess...though that can be harder in its own way.)
Anyway. Here is the first one:
At first I didn't think I'd like doing this face, due to the photos, but once I got going I kind of liked it because her face was shaped differently than the other kids. She had a sincere smile too.
I worry that I made her hair look too thick. My theory with the portrait that "looked to old" is that I made her hair too full for her age, among other things. Oh well, I can't erase it now. I got a fleck of something on that right cheek, and its now permanent. Darn it.
Her hair was really messy in most of the photos; I didn't want to keep it that disheveled, but I didn't want it to be unrealistically neat either. I tried to find a happy medium:
And...I only scanned it one more time. After I did this next scan, I did add a little to the lips so they didn't look so outlined in red.
Then there is the sad, sad story for this portrait. I was putting this in the mailer to take to the post office. When I bent the edge over to close it, the paper was still partly out of the envelope and it got bent!!! Like an inch into the drawing in one spot. I felt so bad. It didn't interfere with the girl's face at all, but still, it has this huge line in the paper now. The could cover it up with a mat when they frame it I guess. I wonder if they will still pay me for it?
3 comments:
Hey! you got another dark haired kid! She looks good. I hope the family likes it!
What a cute smile!
How many do you have left?
one little boy I'm working on, and the one I have to redo. So two.
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