NYC Subway Rider No. 21

NYC Subway Rider No. 21
4" x 4"x oil on wood

I'm coming out of hibernating, slowly but surely.

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Portrait Progression

Ok, who doesn't like a portrait progression, right? Here's my next lady on a train. She seemed a bit awkward and stressed, clutching several bags and, of course, the ubiquitous iPhone.

Here we go - pencil sketch on the gessoed wood block, which is approximately 4 inches square:

Then a few blocks of color:

Followed by some big, splashy patches of more color:

You know, some of our NYC subway cars have bright orange or yellow seats, while others have those icy blues. Sometimes I choose which color to paint, regardless of the original scene -- creative license, I guess.

She had her knees clamped tightly shut but her feet splayed outwards. That was the most interesting part of her pose, so I spent some time getting those legs just right:

Then I toned down that high-keyed lemon yellow behind her head, and paid some more attention to the crumpled shopping bags in her lap. I think this was a good place to stop, don't you ?

NYC Subway No. 19

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A Painting Progression - the next lady on the train

 Step 1, first blocks of color:

Step 2 - more contrast, deep shadow under the bench, refining the shape of her head....

Step 3 - changed up the color in the background behind her, modified her hair, more detail to the bench and changed the color of her big, slouchy purse:

Step 4 - a touch of lipstick and more attention to her legs and feet. Hmmm, still muddling with them:

Finished? Not sure -- think I prefer her hair as in the step above and still not sure about the wall behind her head nor her folded arms. Added the iphone earbuds but they're not clearly attached to her head! Happy with her legs and shoes, tho, very happy:

Back to the drawing board -- stay tuned for the finale.

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A surprise

I returned to this painting one last time. If you recall, I posted a few original stages of this painting back in the early summer -- refresh your memory
-- but I wasn't sure where I was going or if I was just going to abandon it. It's not unusual to put something aside for a while and let it stew.

So I picked it back up this week and went at it with some gouache -- that's a water-based opaque paint. Unlike watercolors, the paint can be applied in thicker layers that fully obscure what is underneath.

She is still a bit bizarre looking, but I rather like that in a portrait. Here's the progression:


First washes of watercolor over ink lines....

Then I ran it under the faucet because I wasn't happy with it. Some colors remained and I began again........

Then this week, after leaving it alone for about 6 months.....I added gouaches.

 

I think I'll leave her alone for another 6 months. At least.

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Less is More

I've resisted the urge to do more to this painting. No layering, no blotting, no nothing. She looks clean and wet and translucent and fresh.

Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

Less Is More
Ink and watercolor on paper
Print available here.

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Another Run-It-Under-the-Faucet Painting

I was really pleased with this when it was simply ink on paper but somewhere along the way, I took a wrong turn. After the first few washes of color, I decided the combination of colors just wasn't working. No harmony, not a pleasing combination.

It was just a start, but I felt it was in the wrong direction -- right?

I think I had even more paint on it the above scan shows, so I did the old wash down. Soaked it under the fauct and washed of plenty of the paint. But many watercolors, of course, still stain the paper. Some will wash right away, but others will leave a faint stain. So I still had the remnants of some color and I headed of in a slightly different direction.

As usual, I don't quite know where I'll end up..........

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It's really about the sarong

But I often get caught up in the face instead... go figure.

There was some debate in the household this evening about putting up the painting I completed for today. I wanted to try something different, sticking to real skin tones, but still going with a rich vibrant palette. The model in question, however, disputed the nature of her jaw line, her sour expression, the odd sun dappled shadows on her face.

Everyone's a critic.

Still, I'm going to post it, in keeping with the spirit of this exercise. I'll share what I've come up with even if I'm experimenting and not so sure if what I came up with is what I'd intended. I'm crazy about the colors, if not her countenance. Said model enjoyed the brilliant firey color of her hair and the brilliant blue of the sarong tied halter-style around her neck.

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Wasn't gonna post on the weekends --

But I want to move on from these. So here's the original painting of the woman with beads (top) and two variations. The third (bottom) is actually a different woman, but I thought she made a good addition to the series. I find when I paint a series, painting the same thing over and over again but in a decidedly different manner, it forces me to try new things. I experiment, whereas previously I might have just depended on old techniques. This is particularly fruitful when I'm pleased with the first result. Then everything that follows is gravy -- no pressure.

"Beads No. 2" (top)  Ink and watercolor on paper. Purchase a print here.

"Beads No. 3" (center) Ink and watercolor on paper. Purchase a print  here.

"Beads No. 1" (bottom)  Ink and watercolor on paper. Purchase a print here.

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The Beach

Sitting at an outdoor cafe, under the shade of an enormous palm tree. On a 7-mile white sandy beach, the deep, blue-green sea just a few steps away. Bruschetta, bacon and fresh-squeezed orange juice coming right up. Two cups of "minty tea", please, with heaping spoonfuls of golden brown sugar. And yet, they look miserable. Maybe there is something to the saying "too much of a good thing."

"Beach"  
Ink and watercolor on paper. 
Purchase a print here.

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