Polynesian Slumber (full color in face)

I did some more work in the drawing, aside from feeling a need to blend my highlights a bit better I'm pretty happy with it. The highlights on the eyelids are far too pronounced and need a lot more blending, also I didn't spend enough time in the forehead. The area around the mouth needs a bit more work as well. Aside from that though, I think I've done pretty well for my first real attempt at colored pencil in years. I just thought that I might try to layer in a light layer of tan. I think that might tone down the yellow of the skin tone. That and the other fixes I listed should really make this where I want it to be. Then I just have flesh in her arm and my chest. The dress and chair should be a bit easier. The wicker part of the chair still isn't completely filled in because I really don't have a full reference for that part. I'm trying to decide how much of a liberty I want to take. I may keep the pieces of wicker all in that same diagonal they are on now, or angle the last half in the opposite direction as the small amount of chair in the photo indicates. I work on fixing the highlights tomorrow, I think the lips need a second glance as well. Again maybe some more shadow is needed.

Polynesian Slumber progress

I know I'm updating on this drawing, maybe too much, but I'm really excited about it. I laid in the red of the dress because when I was trying to lay in the shadows I lost the lines I drew for the flower pattern. So rather than redraw/try to find them later, I laid in the red. I do think anything bad has come of it, I think it looks good so far. I need to lay in the first layer for my skin, and the wicker part of the chair, I started the cushion. I think the detail in this is turning out well, and since I'm not taking short cuts on any of the chair I'm going to have to include all that details in the next piece. This drawing is now cropped down to 11" x 7.5" which I think will work out fine in the end. The next one should be closer to the 10" x 13" though both will be in the same size frame, this one will have a larger mat. There are a few inconsistencies that I'm hoping to fix int he next few layers. I'm going to finish laying in the rest of the brown bottom layer and then work on the next few layers of skin tone.

Polynesian Slumber progress

I've been working for a bit this afternoon, mostly just trying to sketch in the dress and the arm. I'm a bit worried about angle of the head. Though I think I worked it out a bit, and it's looking a bit better. I'm happy with the flowers that I sketched in. I'm a bit unsure if I want to keep going with the brown as the under sketch. I think I may keep it going down into the dress, but just keep it lighter. I think it will work out fine in the shadows but I'll do better with leaving more white paper this time around down in the dress. I still need to draw in the other two borders. Because I seem to have drawn the face on an angle it's making a bit hard to me to determine where to put the bottom border. I'll figure it out. I want to sketch everything in the dress in with pencil then come back with the brown. Then I'll probably move on to the next layer in the dress, a light red layer. I may update later tonight or tomorrow with more progress.

"Polynesian Slumber" updates

I've made a good bit of progress tonight I think. At least for how I usually work. The photo is a bit skewed and it really doesn't show all of the subtle value. I'm pretty happy with it so far. I think my borders are going to be an odd size. I also decided I couldn't handle the faded, undefined borders. One big basic problem is that I don't always align my composition with the paper correct to fit. That's why sometimes I end up with bigger borders than I intended (here) or I crop the paper to fit the drawing. Anyway, I've started sketching in a bit of the dress, and I realized that it will really be my first attempt at pattern really. Usually I tend to take the easy way out and just lay in value as if it's a solid color. I've been pushing myself with more and more challenges lately and I think my drawings are more fulfilling artistically. When I frame this set of drawings I think I will put them in separate frames, but frames of the same size. I may have to do two different mat sizes but I think that will look fine. I'm thinking it might look better if this one is a bit smaller.

Colored pencil drawing updates

I may still do some more work later, but I got some work done when I got home. I have a good idea where all the features are going to be placed and I'm pretty happy with the progress. I'm thinking about doing informal borders on this drawing. I've always been intrigued by those fading edges, I think it might work out well with this drawing. I'm not sure though, I want to see how much of a border I'd need to add to make everything fit right. I may call this piece "Polynesian Slumber" mostly because of the location the photo was taken in and the dresses that are worn by both figures (that will be filled in later).

New drawing

I started work on my new drawing. It took me quite a while to get to this point, because I'm determined to figure out flesh tone in colored pencils. This is my second attempt. The first attempt found it's way to the trash. Part of it looked ok but right by the eyebrow was getting way too over worked way too fast. So now I'm trying to just lay in value with a base a brown then come back and add in color over top of it. I think that might work out a lot better for me. I think what I have still needs some work but I'm tired, or else I would keep going. If this works out well, then I'll make it a diptych and do the second drawing I had in mind in color as well. If it doesn't work out I'll continue as previously planned and do the second drawing in graphite. I think the second drawing would look good either way. Though I think the composition of this drawing is highly dependent on the color.

New work

I've narrowed down 3 reference photos. The one photo I've been thinking of for a few days, but I really want to do something in color and I want to do a lot of detail (which would be best for me in black and white). I haven't done color in awhile. I found a great reference photo that lends it well to me trying color again. It's pretty simple but I think if I can pull it off the colors will be great. The next drawing I have planed will be back to black and white and was taken moments before the reference photo I'm using for the color drawing, it just includes more. I'll get back to that original photo at some point. The biggest draw back I'm having is that I love the one person's expression and face and that's really about it. Maybe I should just try to get a new reference photo of that person. Maybe if I pick my moment a bit better I won't have so many unfavorable elements.