I know this isn't vastly different from the last post, but it is progress! One of the features that I love about this painting is the way that little curl juts out and obscures her eye, just a bit. In the story, Marlena's hair is always out of control.
At this point, I started to feel more hopeful about the outcome, but her hair still needs a lot of work, and the complexion isn't quite right.
Here's the next phase. I know--it doesn't look a whole lot better, does it. Not to worry, just keep adding layers and try not to overwork it (yeah, telling myself to 'not overwork' it is kinda pointless.)
She's looking very ethnic at this point, and she is half Venezuelan, but she's fairer skinned than she appears here. All fixable.
I know, she doesn't look too good yet! At this point, I was wondering if I'd be able to pull it off, but that's pretty typical at this stage. As tempting as was to abandon the project, I made myself add another layer...and hoped for the best... (but I still wasn't confident enough about her outcome to post it!) Perhaps it was the skin-tone that threw me--not enough pink.
I know, we all thought I'd given up on painting! I haven't--I've just been preoccupied with editing my novel (yay, UNCHARTED is going to be published in October 2012). Anyway, I've been looking at a painting* I found online of a young woman who looks exactly the way I imagine Marlena from the story. As you all know, I need an image to work from and so I thought I'd try my hand at a watercolor interpretation of Pascal Gentil's painting* that portrays my Marlena so well. Normally, I post my progress as I go, but this time I was feeling rather insecure about pulling it off, so I finished it first. I'm still going to post it incrementally, but if you can't stand waiting a few days, you can get a sneak preview over at my writing blog. Next week, I'll post Gentil's oil painting.*
For now, here's the wash. (I would have included the sketch as usual, but it turned out too light.)
* Edited to say that I just found Pascal Gentil's Photography Website only to discover his "painting" is in fact a digitally enhanced photograph, which takes a great deal of talent and in no way diminishes my esteem of his work. Oh my, how I'd love to paint many of his subjects! And in a way, it makes me feel all the better about my work.
I know, we all thought I'd given up on painting! I haven't--I've just been preoccupied with editing my novel (yay, UNCHARTED is going to be published in October 2012). Anyway, I've been looking at a painting* I found online of a young woman who looks exactly the way I imagine Marlena from the story. As you all know, I need an image to work from and so I thought I'd try my hand at a watercolor interpretation of Pascal Gentil's painting* that portrays my Marlena so well. Normally, I post my progress as I go, but this time I was feeling rather insecure about pulling it off, so I finished it first. I'm still going to post it incrementally, but if you can't stand waiting a few days, you can get a sneak preview over at my writing blog. Next week, I'll post Gentil's oil painting.*
