How to paint faces in oil

Well, it's Monday, and that means it's painting day! My painting class is on Monday morning, and so that meant today  I got to work some more on my transcription of Grammatica's Theorbo Player. I have never done people/portraits in paint before, I've only ever drawn them. So this was a little daunting to say the least. I'm very happy with how he's coming along though! We are allowed complete freedom with how we paint these, so long as the basic composition stays the same. So I am going for a 'sketchy' look I guess with the paint. I don't want anything overworked, I want it to have movement.

My Theorbo Player, except he's playing an electric guitar!

I was worried about getting the right tone on the skin, but I needn't have been. Not trying to make this a picture perfect photo image means I can play around with colour and create something aesthetically pleasing without having to stress over making the skin tone look 'real'. As it is, I think he's definitely starting to look like someone with Mediterranean skin tones! I love how his mohawk looks. I'm planning on adding some blue and pink to the tips of it. He will also have a big earring and an eyebrow piercing as well! His clothing is remaining similar to the original, with some colour changes, and a slight style difference.

The guitar I'm going to try and put some detail on, and I'm also considering giving him a tattoo. I think I'll be pretty close to done next week, so stay tuned for the final product!!

Lighthouses!

So I'm feeling like a very smart cookie today! I have linked my website and my facebook page as well as my new online store to this blog! Yes, that's right, I now have my very own personal online shop created purely for selling my work!

At the moment it has a few prints in it, but as time progresses I'll be adding other work as well.

Still working on my lino cut for printmaking - as promised, here is the lino with most of the white areas already carved out.

Lighthouse Linocut

And here is one of the first part of my transcription painting. He already has the beginnings of an awesome looking mohawk!

First draft of Grammatica transcription

I'm also working on a series of lighthouse paintings, two are finished, and I am about to start the third. When I get my images rotated properly, I'll post the two I've already done! The third one is going to be of Split Rock lighthouse which is believe it or not, in Minnesota, USA. Now, yes, Minnesota is in the middle of the country and you would think they wouldn't really need lighthouses, being so landlocked. But the state does border Lake Superior, which is one of the world's biggest inland bodies of water I believe. So they DO need lighthouses for the freight ships to navigate the cold and icy waters!

That's it for today I think...see you all next time!