Face on linen (3) – first oil layers

Here’s a speedy painting of this years Christmas card – Madonna and child (not newborn) so probably around the time the wise men were visiting. Everything started off fine, but went pear shaped around her chin just over half way through – goodness knows what I was doing! This is why I enjoy oils so…

Started to add a base of flesh tones. The paint is going on incredibly smoothly – I’m loving these canvases. I’m using raw sienna and light read with white for my flesh tones – these are my go-to colours for portraits. Another layer of paint, the colours are starting to stand out on the linen….

This time last year I had the idea of doing 365 sketches in 365 days – and I’ve failed miserably… However, there are plenty of things that proved successful.

We have skipped forward a couple of stages here – I seem to have neglected to photograph the first colour layer in oils. Hopefully the recording I’ve been doing will show the progress from monotone to this stage so watch this space. This has now had a couple of glazes of colour over the skin…

Well I think I got quite carried away when I started on this painting. It occurred to me that I had intended to leave the hair unpainted – never mind, the application of a little alcohol with a toothbrush has taken it back. I may yet repaint the hair, but at least I can see…

I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by friendly, supportive people so, when I put out a call to friends and acquaintances looking for folks happy to sit for me while I practise portrait painting from life, I had a number of responses. However, I didn’t anticipate being invited to paint the 3 friendly guys who…