My first attempt at a portrait!! I haven’t even tried to paint one in my studio, just felt quite scary and uncertain, so went on a ROI painting day at The Mall Galleries to make me do it!
I decided to act as if…. pretend I felt confident even though I didn’t and put the paint down in strong marks and leave them.
I had dipped into an excellent little book before I went called ‘Starting to Paint Portraits’ by Barnard Dunstan. Its really useful and written in a friendly old fashioned manor.
I premixed my colours before I started like I’d do a plein air landscape. Having a bigger board means the head isn’t too small or fiddly, a large area to cover though!
I started with her hair the darkest area, Ultramarine & Burnt Sienna, warmer and cooler patches through it. Then the most intense area – her cheek. I worked outwards from there comparing areas to the intensity and tone of her cheek.
I put the background next to her skin as soon as I could as its a large area and didn’t want to leave it till the last!
I am happy with the result and its encouraged me to try more 🙂
You are invited to our Open Studios based in Haslemere Surrey UK.
If you follow me on here you will know I have a lot of new paintings! Over a 100 to show, so if you are local and have the time it would be great to see you!
