Rendering the Shirt

Today's sneak peek is the shirt. I started with just finding the lightest and darkest big shapes, then brought them closer together with a wash of a medium gray, then started adding details and hard edges. I'll leave it at this level until I get the other arm in and know exactly how it reads. Of course in the book I will give you more information than this - I don't want to spoil it! 

This portrait will be in the back of the book where I show how I put together a full portrait and what order I do things in. The previous chapters are: Supplies, Making A Reference Photograph/Drawing the Cartoon, Learning the 2 Step CP Technique, Proportions of the head, The Eyes in Detail, Other Features in Detail, Hands and Fabric. After these chapters will be full portrait WIP, some cropped in on the face and some further out like this one with all the supporting elements. 

All the titles of the chapters have not been made yet so these are just descriptions of what will be in those chapters. So far I have 3 chapters in good shape and I am starting the 4th! At the moment it is 60 pages at 6" x 9" - a good format for an book. 

The Little Apprentice

My daughter is helping me fill in the background with black. Don't worry about it looking scribbly. It will all be finger blended together. 

New Portrait

I've been busy writing for my book, so I decided to take a break and make a work in progress, an example, for the book.

My coworker/friend was kind enough to let me borrow her sons for portraits, who I have in class as well so I do know their personalities. For this one I wanted to keep the nature theme of the Zen series, but have it say something about him. Well, he loves animals and has a put lizard of some sort.  So I won't give away what the things will be in it, but you can guess it is lizard related!

The size is 16" x 20" Polychromos on Fisher 400 paper.

Keep, Store or Bin?

Since I have more artwork to store at the moment than I am ready for, I am doing the arduous task of deciding what to keep, store, or bin. I know - its hard - but I've created a system that is working for me and I've even made a messy little flow chart of the questions I ask for each piece and an action required for each answer to those questions. It is helping me through that feeling that everything needs to be kept and everything has merit because I made it, which is much too emotional.

So I start with the top question and work my way down. 

Does this piece support my brand? Which I think means a few things. First, if it supports my brand it is a good representation of my skill. If it was a bad day or an old piece that isn't up to par - the answer is No.
Fitting in my brand also means that the subject fits into the image I am trying to portray. That might mean it fits into a series I am working on at the moment or it might mean a general idea of subject. For example I have decided that my very traditional work that doesn't have much "me" in it doesn't fit in my brand anymore even if it is a skilled drawing. So for a recap: right now I am definitely keeping things that are well done and that have a Nicole twist on them like my 6x 18's and my kitsch or box series. I am not keeping things that I made to look like classical or dutch still-life with classical arrangements and drooping lemon peels. To those I will answer "no" because I think they no longer fit in the Nicole Caulfield brand. 

If the answer was yes, I'll wrap it and keep it in the easily accessible ready for shows pile. 

If the answer was no - next question

Will this piece fit in a theme or brand of the future? This is a judgement call. I may have done one piece that is different from the rest... like maybe my eighties piece. I can look at that and ask if it might fit in in the future even though at the moment it doesn't fit in my brand. & yep, I think I may want to do some more montage or collage pieces so I'll keep that one.

If the answer was yes, I'll wrap it and keep it not too far away so I don't forget it. Maybe I'll hang it up for a while.  

If the answer was no - next question

Is this piece sentimental? A piece can be sentimental for various reasons. One that often comes up for me is that it shows some skill development.  Things that I just plain old like but have no place to hang goes in this category too. 

If the answer was yes, I'll take it out of the frame and store it in one of my portfolios. 

If the answer was no - next question.

Would a friend or family member love it? Some people think you should never do this, but I see no harm in it if it would make them happy and I don't need it. 

If the answer was yes, I'll wrap it and ship it off.  If they want the frame, I ask they give me the cost of the frame. 

If the answer was no - then it's time to Bin IT! If it hurts too much then I should have answered it was sentimental above... and I reserve the right to change my mind. 

First Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak Peak from the book in the making! This is step 1 and the last step of this demonstration. I'll have more sneak peeks from time time, some with more steps and some with less steps like this one. 

and a little sketch to illustrate a point below.