New Pastel on Velour

The companion portrait to the other pastel of a young girl, both sisters. A difficult expression to capture, but still fun. 11"x14" on velour. I'm on a roll. Will begin soon two more on the velour.

Pastel on Velour of Young Girl

Back to doing humans again! LOL This is the first pastel I've done on the velour of a person (not pet). It is a young girl around 8-9 yrs old. I took the photos myself which I worked from. About 11"x14" size. I am truly enjoying working on the velour paper and my next one will be of this girl's sibling. I have been very frustrated with working in oils and the joy just was not there. But, I am finding new joy with the pastel on velour! So, I will be focusing on this for awhile. Hopefully, I will feel more comfortable with color when I return to doing oils.

Graphite Portrait of Tippin

Pet portrait of a black Labrador puppy. Black fur is not easy and was very challenging. About 5"x7" on Aquarelle Arches paper with graphite in different hardness. This is the fourth dog portrait in the last month...I must be on a roll here. Am taking commissions for Holiday Pet Portraits. Please contact me at pljarizona@yahoo.com for more information or visit my website at www.pamelajonas.com

Graphite Portrait of Gomez

Another cute little puppy portrait of a yellow lab. This was done rather small 5"x7" on heavy-weight cold-press smooth drawing/watercolor paper. I used different hardness of graphite, hb to 6b. Wonderful surface for graphite, it glides across and melts like butter in the darks. Love it.

Pastel of Nala

Cute little doggie belonging to a friend. This is pastel on velour paper about 8"x11" The challenge is a reference photo where much of the defining features are in shadow. Animal art is another whole skill set as I've mentioned before. I admire the work of Lesley Harrison and have her book "Painting Animals that touch the heart". She is a master at pastel on velour and wildlife and an inspiration to me.

On this, I worked on a gray velour using 3 different pastels, hard pencil pastel and Nupastel and soft pastel.

updated with final 11:01pm

Just in Time for the Holidays - - Tim Allen as "The Santa Clause"

This was fun to do! I added the snow globe since this was taken from the 3rd sequel, not the first and was significant to the story. Graphite on white paper, approx size 4"x4". I'm doing these fairly small, in a dimly lit room, in my lap! LOL They look so much better up close and not in these digital files. Eventually I will figure it out.

A word about this Blog. I don't really know if anyone visits it and reads these things or not. But, just the fact I've made this commitment, whether I manage to accomplish, or not, is always on my mind. I've done over 26 portraits in sketches, oils, etc of people and pets in the last couple months. That's more than I've done in the last 2 years! So, I feel pretty good about that. Anyway, if you are reading this, THANK YOU. I've have 3 pet portraits lined up to do...still. I'm hoping tomorrow is the day :)

Graphite Sketch

This is another pencil sketch while watching a movie "Hitch" and is supposed to be Eva Mendez. Not the best likeness, she moved around alot, very animated in this film. Size 5"x6" on white paper. I am having trouble getting reproductions of my graphite drawings to be true. I've tried scanning and photographing. This one is a photo. I will keep working on that.

Grecian Costumed Model from Life

This was done in charcoal and white chalk on a light greenish-gray toned pastel paper from life at a Portrait Artists of Arizona work session October 31st. The model Elizabeth Claret posed in a costume I created by draping some ivory fabric tied with gold cording and an ivy garland for her hair. I also started an oil painting of her but it still needs some work and finishing touches before I post. I love the classical theme.

Portrait of Laura S

This is nearly complete. May work a little more on background and the lower portion. I've been told not to do portraits with teeth showing, unless I have mastered them. Teeth are extremely difficult, so I need practice. I found the work of Scott Bartner, portrait artist from the Netherlands, truly inspiring. He has definitately mastered the art of painting teeth!

The reference photo was unfortunately taken with flash, but, I tried to reduce some of the blowout affects to get a more natural look.

Portrait of Max - Updated

Updated 12/19/09: Took critique comments and filled in the background. It does look much better and more finished.

Another "pet" portrait, this is of my Mom's late poochie, Max. The sweetest little fellow you'd every know...we miss him terribly. I did this as a vignette, though I'm not sure I like it. Possibly the shape of the canvas was not the right choice: a 12x18. I think it might have been better on something square.? Opinions desired. Or, should I just paint in the entire background?? At any rate, it is what it is for now. I may go back later and make some changes. Doing a white dog is a challenge that's for sure :)

Francesca - Pastel

My first completed pastel "pet" portrait of my beloved Francesca, a seal lynx-point Siberian (I think). I do not profess to be a pastelist, though I do own 3 different boxes of pastels and did take a class in pastels. It is not a comfortable medium for me. This was done on velour paper, which is a forgiving surface and I do like it. I certainly need more practice in this medium and have plenty of velour and sanded pastel paper. So, I will be posting more of these as they are attacked, LOL.

Oil Portrait of Laura S

This is an in-progress shot showing the underpainting and grisaille. Will need to completely dry before applying glazes. The background will not be so vividly purple and will be toned down considerably. I was doing this really fast for some reason...as if I was on the clock with a major deadline. So, the facial areas are a little on the painterly side and I kinda like it.

While its drying, will attack doing a "pet portrait"...I don't or haven't done any animal art in many years, so it will be a challenge, but I have 3 different pets lined up for me to work on. One of my own kitty, Francesca, probably will be a pastel on velour, but I need a larger sheet to start that one, and two doggies. My Mom's former pet, we lost earlier this year, Max which I will do in oil, and my friend Angela's poochy Nela. I'm feeling more motivated and excited about these new projects.

So behind! Yikes! Haven't posted anything since last Thursday and haven't drawn or painted in a week...what with some family obligations now passed, I can get back to my challenge...hope to have something new soon! If you are following...thanks :) more to come.

Portrait of My Brother - Red Chalk

(image removed)This was completed a couple days ago. Working from a photo I took in 2006, the challenges were his being a bit sunburned and I used flash. This is my brother and how I see him, in my opinion, a very handsome fellow :) We've always been pretty close, as kids we were "two peas in a pod" so to speak. About the materials, though, the chalk pencil I used says it is "red chalk" but is actually quite orange compared to some of the other brands of chalk I've purchased. I have varying degrees of sepia, sanguine, red, etc. all different in shade and texture. It's frustrating, because I am forgetting which one is which until I'm half-way through the drawing wondering why I'm not getting the affect I want! So, anyway...I think I need to make further notes and mark my tools so I know which one I'm picking up...argh! It's all a learning process! LOL Another thing, this was drawn on a beige/tan pastel paper, but appears gray...don't know why :)

Days to go: 318
Portraits to go: 332

Portrait of Mary Conover - Final

Alas! I have finished this portrait of my good friend Mary. I think it is a very good likeness of her, but I'm not completely happy with the background. When I took the photos of the pose, I didn't put up any special draping, just used the ivory wall. So, I played around with the color of the background until I stopped with the present state. It is what it is. 12"x12" square canvas.
I hope Mary likes it :)

Tomorrow I will begin something new, an oil, but not sure yet which one it will be. I'm still doing pencil sketches from tv and film. It makes me feel like I'm doing something besides vegetating in front of the boob tube LOL

Days to go: 327
Portraits to do: 337

More Sketches

Still a little sickly...so I continued practicing sketching from the TV. Men are for some reason more difficult for me to work from while they are moving...or the films I'm working from aren't the best choices...so I've trashed quite of few sketches or poorly done men actors. This is a very good exercise for me, that's for sure! So, here is Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansen as the Boleyn sisters from "The Other Boleyn Girl" and Patrick Swayzee from "Dirty Dancing" (it could be better, but no sooner had I started the pose ...it was nearly the end of the movie before they showed that side of his face again!!!) The grayed out box on the lower right was a terrible sketch of Keanu Reeves from "Speed"...it was interesting to not that the camera was on Sandra Bullock much, much longer than Reeves...I should have been doing her! LOL anyway...onward!

Days to go: 329
Portraits to do: 338

3 Pencil Sketches

There is one thing to draw from a photo, another thing to draw from a model who is not moving...to drawing from people who are constantly moving. I have never really tried to draw a likeness of someone that is moving. This is my first attempt. I think two of them are ok (upper left and lower right). They were done while watching movies. What I discovered is that I was forced to really look at the person and pick out the features that make them uniquely "them"...e.g. Goldie Hawn ("Bird on a Wire") and Julia Roberts (Erin Brokovich") both have distinctive mouths. The third one, Kate Winslet ("Sense and Sensibility") has distinctive eyebrows. I had wanted to go out into the public like the mall or a park and do this from strangers, but I am unfortunately coming down with a cold :( I enjoyed this exercise and will do more of these. Obviously I need a LOT more practice. It will be interesting to see my progress from the first ones to months from now. I believe this will really up the ante on how quickly I can capture likeness.

Days to go: 333
Portraits to do: 341

Self-Portrait - Sepia Chalk on toned paper

I can't believe its been since Thursday that I've posted anything new! Been working on Mary's portrait and its about done. Decided to fill in the background and waiting for it to dry before putting last finish layer...perhaps tomorrow. So, today I decided to do a Self-portrait. I don't care much for doing self-portraits...had to do them in college art classes. I also hate most photos of me. But, here it is. I actually like this pose in the photo and have been using it on my Facebook account. I used Light Sepia chalk on green toned pastel paper. It's the same paper I used on Chris Saper's, and I still dislike it. I think I will give it away. Much too grainy for my taste.

Final - Lady Fraser after Henry Raeburn

It is finished! I couldn't get my daily horoscope out of my mind though... "finish projects in-progress before beginning anything new". Geez...no kidding!! Ha! Can you tell which is the painting and which is the photo? OK, so it's not perfect. But, one of the purposes of doing this project is to practice "achieving a likeness" so why I show the reference photography as comparison.

To be a portrait artist, it needs to look like the subject, right? So, onward I go. I had my friend Mary come by for another sitting and to check over the status of her portrait. It is important to have feedback from the subject if possible. She had some very valid comments, but overall, she is pleased with its progress. I hope to have that done before the weekend.

I've only completed 5 portraits in 12 days...but, my real problem isn't doing the 350 portraits in 365 days...but...where do I plan on finding 345 more subjects?!! I don't think I thought of that when I got this big idea. I might have to establish some rules for myself. Like allowing to do multiple portraits of the same subject. That would help considerably. Well...it's another late night and my eyes are bleary...I bid you good night :)

Days to go: 353
Portraits to do: 345

Portrait of Chris Saper in Red Chalk

I worked on this last night till 2am! But, couldn't stop until I was fairly done with it. I really need to catch up as I am feeling the pressure of meeting my goals. Doing the oils takes time, so will fill the in-between times with sketches and drawings. I love to draw, especially charcoal, conte', etc. It's my favorite thing to do. Partly, due to my short attention span ! LOL and my impatience. If I can't finish an art project in a couple hours, I have problems going back to finish, and it takes me forever!! Anyway...this one is of a well-knowned portrait artist friend of mine, Chris Saper.

Days to go: 354
Portraits to do: 346

Portrait of Mary C.

Nearly done, am posting this progress shot. Needs to dry and then I will go back in for finishing touches. Not sure I like the vignette background or lack thereof. It also looks a little muddy to me. The photo enhanced a lot of ruddiness/redness to her skintone that I did not want in the painting. Though I may have overcompensated and it tends to now not have enough natural redness. Hopefully, I will be able to correct that.

Will finish up Raeburn copy later today and move on to something new.

Stage 2 - Portrait #4 - Lady Fraser "after" Raeburn

Stage 2 is the first round of glazes. I am using walnut oil as my glazing medium. I had never heard of it before until earlier this year while painting at one of our PAOA Portrait Studio Sessions. A fellow member artist, Linda Fox, gave me a little sample of it. I love it! Thanks Linda! Oh btw, Linda is giving a painting demo at our next Portrait Artists of Arizona meeting September 26th, 2009.

It is amazing how we notice things in a photo of our artwork we just can't see with our naked eye. Although this stage is looking pretty good, I can see many flaws I wish to correct. The hair is not completed, there are some mis-alignments, and edges and facial shadows to be softened. Of course the background is not completed. Still much to do, but I should have it finished in the next session. I think this is little too small for me to work in. My near vision isn't as good as it used to be. I need one of those craft magnifiers!! Not kidding! The photo I took of the original painting while at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is posted in this earlier post go here

I really am enjoying working on this painting. I would like to do some period portraits much like Liliedahl and Weistling do. I need to start developing a costume wardrobe for posing my subjects in more classical settings.

I've been wondering there haven't been any comments posted to my blog...then I discovered the settings on my account didn't allow comments from people without an account of some sort. I think I've fixed it now so that if you don't have an account with Google, or Wordpress, you can comment anonymously. But, if you want me to know who you are, sign your name inside your comment :)
Thanks.

Portrait Challenge - Day 6

I can't believe it is Day 6 already of my Portrait Challenge to myself!! The times just flies...I will need to step it up if I'm to complete 350 portraits in a year!!!

Today, however, I have posted a new painting I started yesterday of my friend Mary #5. Again, I am working from a photo I took in my studio using my light stand with a 2000K natural light bulb. It's pretty bright, so I had the reflector raised as far as it would go. I also neglected to put up a fabric background...so I decided to add some color to the painting in the background. I've been told you should not do this, but since I am doing a glazing technique to a grisaille and not trying to match colors exactly...I suppose this will be ok. We shall see. Anyway, I thought I would discuss a little about what exactly it is I am doing. I work with "water-soluble" oils. I started using them about 7 years ago because the fumes from the solvents and mediums bothered me too much and my studio is in my home. Recently, though, I've discovered there are mediums and solvents that have virtually no odor...so perhaps as some time in the future (when my paints are all used up) I will switch back to standard oil paints. I use primarily Windsor Newton Artisan paints. I have found them to be very similar in texture and pliability to standard oils. But, I have noticed the water-soluble (or water-misible) paints harden in the tube faster over time. The first step in this painting and in the other one I started the other day, was to transfer the drawing to the canvas or panel. Since I am working rather small, I use my Photoshop skills and I generate a black/white ink jet print at the size I want to work with. I cover the back of the print with a coat of charcoal, tape it to the canvas in the proper position to the composition I want, and lightly sketch or trace in the basic dimensions of the face. Then, with Ivory Black and Titanium White and Artisan's Thinner, I paint in the features creating a marble-like effect...the "grisaille" meaning "gray". The lights should be lighter and the darks not too dark, so that when I apply the glazes the darks will not be overly dark. This happened with my very first attempt at grisaille and the model's skin was too dark. I also blocked in an under painting for the background which will be modeled and shaped with additional color later and lightened up in certain parts.

Please post a comment if you like, or be sure to click on the "follow" button on my blog so that you will be notified of future posts regarding this project. :) Thanks for reading.

Underpainting grisaille is still wet...so am starting on a new oil portrait of my friend Mary. More to come...I figure it I start a new one each day...eventually I will have completed ones about once a day...I'm already behind...!!!

No. 4 - Portrait of Lady Catherine Fraser - Sir Henry Raeburn - 1816

I thought I would post my progress so far. This photo shows both the 8.5x11 photo I am working on (right) and the 9x12 canvas mounted panel (left). First challenge - - I HATE the panel I chose to work on!! I really should have put a couple of coats of gesso over it. It is too textured for the size and amount of detail I am attempting to do :( oh well...will have to remember that or buy a panel with a very smooth surface. I am trying to use what I already have in my studio...and some things are experimental. I am following a classical style technique, using a grisaille for the figure. Couldn't stand it with just the gray background so went ahead and applied some colored underpainting. It gives it a little more life. I like what I have started so far, but now need to let it dry before applied glazes. Soooooooooooooooooooooooo...guess I should either start another oil, or do some sketches... :) Let me know your thoughts on what I've done so far.

Comments are greatly appreciated!!!

Days to go: 362
Portraits to do: 347

Today I will start a new portrait. I get great joy from copying paintings of the masters. Mostly because I would never be able to own an original and being able to create a version to hang in my own home makes me feel good about my abilities. I also believe it is really good experience to copy master's. Though, I'm probably beyond needing that and really need to be working from life...oh well...

I was in Philadelphia last year for the Portrait Society of America Conference and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It was great and they allowed non-flash photography. I took several shots of amazing master portraits. Unfortunately, I can't find my notes on who painted them :( Three of them came out quite well and with enough detail I will attempt to work from. It will be a small 9x12 canvas mounted to panel, though the original I think was probably a 30x40.

I'm off to begin...stay tuned for my progress.

Day One of My Challenge - getting started

Great start!! Today I finished a portrait I started a couple months ago and have been procrastinating the completion...it is a family portrait of my nephew, wife, and son. I am counting it as 3 portraits. As usual, it has turned out to be a challenge in itself. I seem to take on monumental tasks, get frustrated, and many times not finish! (Like my writing attempts at novels and screenplays)

This particular portrait is my first attempt at doing 3 subjects in the same work. Done in a relatively new technique for me "trois crayons" (3 colors) black and white charcoal, and sanguine conte'. I did the original photography myself in my studio with natural light coming from the only window, which thankfully is on the North side of my house. It is a composite of 2 poses, basically I copied and pasted a better facial expression of little Eugene. The size is 18"x23" done on a grayish beige Canson Pastel Paper. It is also the largest portrait drawing I've ever done.

I have to say I am proud of myself for finally getting into the studio and finishing this!! :) Now onto the next assignment...not sure yet which one it shall be, I have several concepts in mind.

Days to go: 364
Portraits to do: 347

My Challenge to Myself

Well...I got the greatest idea from seeing the new movie "Julia and Julie". If you don't know the movie, it's about a woman who starts a blog, challenging herself to cook through Julia Child's French Cookbook in 365 days. Great movie and Meryl Streep deserves another Oscar for her role as Julia Child.

It got me to thinking...Earlier this year one of my artists friends (Linda Tracey Brandon) gave a talk to members of my art group Portrait Artists of Arizona on starting a portrait business. She said to really be accomplished at portraiture you need to have done at least 500 portraits!!! Wow! I remember saying to myself..."I've made barely a dent in that in my whole entire life!"

I've decided to challenge myself to draw or paint 500 portraits. Actually only 350, because I've estimated (on the very low side, since I'm not sure exactly) I've done between 150-200.

So follow along with me, while I challenge myself to draw or paint 350 portraits in 365 days!!! I might do 1 in a day, or 5 in a day who knows...but I am very excited about this project.

I better get going...huh?

Getting With the Times - - Blogging

Welcome to my Blog!! I may be a little behind the times in finally starting a blog...but, better late than never I always say!! I plan on using this blog as a way to verbalize my thoughts on Fine Art, Portraiture and Graphic Design all of which I have been doing for the past 30 or so years...gosh, can I really say that? Any posts will be responded to relatively quickly. I'm pretty much addicted to the web...I have Facebook and Linkedin profiles too and two websites...now if I would just apply some of this energy to my studio!!??