Robin

Last week Monday I went to a Wyndham Art Supplies Open Life Single Pose ...event. There was a model, a studio and people who wanted to immortalize her on paper through various media.

I, like a big silly who likes to challenge herself, chose to use watercolour. Boy, is it difficult. I'm happy with the painting, it's the most complete figure work I've ever done. However, it was really slow going. Goodness. Once I got a few warm up poses, I was good to go.

As a note, white people's complexion is tres dificil to get. I just stuck with a really vibrant painting with quinacridone gold, carmine and ultramarine. I think it gives the painting a nice effect. This was ultimately the result of me giving up on trying to mix "Flesh Tone: Caucasian" on my palette. I really hate "flesh tone", it's so awful and pink and does not look like a human being's skin at all.

I think if i were a historical art movement, I would be an Impressionistic Fauvist. I love colour in my paintings. Greys, no matter how 'alive' they are, just don't do it for me. I hate muddy paintings. Give me colour or give me death. The impressionism stems from the fact that a) I'm a bit lazy, b) it's amazing how good something can look when you don't overwork it.    

I've worked with this model before. Her name's Robin and she's super cute. The last time I had seen her, she had blonde highlights. At the session, she had super red hair. My first reaction was "Oooo. I get to figure out how to make that!" I didn't get it quite right. I think I was missing a blue shade, I made her hair a bit too warm. Oh, well. Maybe next time.

I've included some photos of the painting, it took me about three hours to complete and I'm happy with it. I will need more practice of course, but for a first attempt at painting a person, it's not half bad.

Below is another first: my first attempt to embed a slideshow into my blog posting.
Let's see how well it works.