Tip of the Month - December 2003

Last month's tip page explained the process for this reference drawing. After further consideration, I cropped the sketch to allow the subject to fill the picture plane in a more pleasing way.

I drew the model on a vertical (30 x 22) piece of 140lb. cold press watercolor paper. The light was natural daylight which came through the windows on either side of Edith. My first wash was cobalt blue & cerulean blue for the light on Edith & also the cool light in the windows. Permanent rose & quinacridone gold were the colors in the shaded areas of the body & the walls.

After looking at the shapes of the warm & cool colors, I decided to go ahead with the plan for the painting. At this point, I could still make adjustments in the warm & cool shapes.

I added alizarin crimson, sap green,magenta, & vermilion to my color selection. The color application was intense. When the paint was dry, I placed the painting in cool water & gently scrubbed it with a natural sponge. The color did not disappear. Most of the chosen colors stained the paper.

This procedure would soften some edges & it allowed more intense color to be applied to the paper's surface.

I continued to add several layers of glazes to the paper. Winsor violet & indigo were added to the palette to strengthen the darks.

In the final washes, I added quinacridone coral to enhance the skin tones. EDITH was now complete. This painting is a memory of a wonderful day & a new friend.

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