Looking Pensive

This is the first time I am painting an Indian lady in native dress. I used an old black and white photograph as a reference but the finished portrait looks nothing like the lady in the reference picture. I am glad that I get to exercise a lot of artistic license with this  painting. I hope to do more of similar paintings.

Looking Pensive
Watercolor and graphite on 9 x 12 inches 140# watercolor paper

Portrait # 33

DSFDF Year End Portrait Challenge

I finished painting the portrait of the mystery artist that Ms.Karin Jurick send to me as part of DSFDF year end challenge. I was pretty tensed about painting blond hair because of my lack of experience. However I was relieved to see that it came out okay.

Leslie, finally I used Arches watercolor paper here. The paper behaves so differently from Canson. I am yet to get used to and learn how Arches behaves with watercolors. I feel that it is a good surface for watercolor but I am yet to learn how to dodge the pigment around to get the desired flow.  

Okay back to the subject, I will put up the reference photo with the artist’s permission after I identify the artist in the portrait. So watch this space!

Update (12/28/2009) :
Here is the my reference photo and the artist is Julie Bloch. I believe this portrait is the last painting for the year 2009. I am already working on another painting which you can see next year. Until then, happy holidays!

less than 9 by 12 inches on 140# Arches watercolor paper

Portrait # 29

A Shade of Mystique

There was no particular reason why I chose this title for my painting but it was what that first came to my mind while I was considering a title. This is a monochromatic study of my previous SP. I just used Prussian Blue for this one.

A Shade of Mystique
9 by 12 inches on 140 # cp watercolor paper

Portrait # 26

“I am listening”

I am my own worst critic which becomes obvious when I say I am not too thrilled with this self-portrait. I must honestly say I have tried, really tried my best and this is what I finally get. A high-key, bland version of my portrait. I put several glazes to build the skin tone taking care not to muddy the colors underneath. Finally when it reached this stage, I pulled myself to stop.  I used Quin. Burnt Orange for skin tone instead of mixing my own skin colors. The drawback is that Quin. BO can be easily lifted off. So the glazes have to be laid carefully. I did this painting very tightly with lots of control over the washes. Personally I love to do portraits in bold colors and very loosely but this is the only way I know how to do. Maybe I never dared to find out how it is to paint very loosely.

I  am planning to submit this painting for David Lobenberg’s  Self Portrait Global Love In . The deadline is September 12 so I have got plenty of time to change my mind and submit a different painting if I have another one ready in the meantime.

“I am listening”
9 by 12 inches on 140# cp watercolor paper

Portrait #25

Young Peasant Girl After Harmaloff

Finally I managed to complete the portrait of the young peasant girl. It is obvious that the girl in my painting look more like an young lady. Well I tried and this is the best I could come up with. I really enjoyed painting this portrait.

 
Young Peasant Girl : A study After Alexei Harmaloff
9″ x 10″ 140# cp watercolor paper
Portrait # 22

Portrait : Young Peasant Girl WIP

I am currently working on this portrait, which is after the work of a Russian classical painter Alexei Harmaloff(1848 – 1915). The original reference image is :

The original painting is oil on canvas. I am attempting to do it in watercolor but I do not want it to resemble original painting exactly. It is more like a loose study of the portrait. I need to do a lot of improvement before I can call it final. I think there is a slight inconsistency as to the direction in which the subject’s eyes is looking at. I am taking it easy and not be a stickler with such details.