This is my latest head study. Size is around 7″x10,5″ and I have worked on cold-pressed watercolor paper.
I am playing with skin colours. In this painting and also in my previous post “Friends” I have used Raw Sienna, Scarlet Lake and Phthalo Blue.
On my palette are also Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna, also Alizarin Crimson, Paynes Grey Bluish, Phthalo Green and Translucent Orange.
I love the Raw Sienna colour. It is a wonderful yellow, it glows and is not too strong.
Scarlet Lake and Raw Sienna are a wonderful mix for the skin, especially for kids and teens faces. Instead of Scarlet Lake you can use Brown Madder from Winsor and Newton, when you paint adults and especially men.
As you will know skin reflects all colours around, so it is not easy to give a good recipe only for the skin. This three colours are only the base (a yellow, a red and a blue) and when painting the skin you should also use the colours which you will use for other subjects around your figure/face. With this you are always on the safe side. I too try to remember all this things for my own work and with each painting it will be easier.
I love the texture of coldpressed paper, it is easy to apply your washes and also to remove colours with a sponge if neccessary.
In the past issues of International Artist magazine the artist Warren Chang has started a ’7 Part Series – Pursuing an artist’s life behind the easel’. Although this artist paints in oil he gives wonderful tips no matter in which medium you work.
I especially loved his explaining about “Understanding light and shadow”. Warren Chang has published this article on his website, if you don’t get the International artist Magazine. Please click here.
When the link doesn’t work, please type the address below:
http://www.warrenchang.com/A6.html
I hope he will also publish the article of the Issue 59. He still has some other articles on his website if you want to read more from him.
