"catch me, grandpa!": next project

i have had this photo of our grand daughter sophie for quite a while. it is evident when i realize she just turned 11 years old. i guess it is just me that hasn't aged. i decided to use the upper part of this for my next painting. in keeping with the focus to get as many faces/figures for the show as possible this will mainly be a portrait (with action!).

drawing and initial painting

as i am doing now i enlarged the face to be about 8" from hairline to chin to make it "real size" to the painting. this to make the drawing part easier. i used a 20"X16" piece of 140# fabriano artistico hot press paper. after the drawing was effected i started the painting process at the nose. i used a #8 faux kolinsky (dick blick) brush which is remarkably like the real thing for 1/10th the cost; points well, holds a lot of water and snaps into shape with a flick of the wrist. the colors were cadmium red light, cadmium yellow pale and cerulean blue. i  have done this so many times here it will not reiterate the individual steps.
 after drawing this out up, down, and sideways i moved on to the near eye. shadow under the upper lid, iris, medial socket, pupil, lateral socket, blending into the hair line. all this to make these shapes connect (connect, connect). i finished work today with painting the large cheek shape starting at the nasolabial fold inferiorly and drawing the paint up out and down. this later using relatively more of the red than the other pigments.

close up of initial washes