This was particularly true when some grandchildren visited about 15 years ago. I had my camera ready and recently rediscovered a few of the pictures. This little girl (now 16 years old) had just had a bath and was standing next to the windows. There is something about that afternoon light on a child...
I had planned to do this as a watercolor. I sketched it out on watercolor paper and did a first layer in my watercolor class. I brought it home and put in the background. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture before I put the in the dark background. It's amazing how that changed everything!
However, once the background had dried, I knew I needed to use my pastels. I would not be able to get the soft look I wanted with just watercolor. Using the watercolor underpainting as my base, I began with various pastels. Watercolor paper does not have the same 'tooth' as the sanded pastel paper I normally use. I can't build up too many layers on this paper.
I took it back to class for a critique. They thought the shadow lines were too prominent. I also knew that she was too pink and I needed to work on her hair.
Hair and skin are softened. Shadow lines are still there but no longer 'shouting' at me.
In the original photo, she was holding a phone in her hand. I wanted the focal point to be her face - even though she is looking at something, I did not want to concentrate on the phone and have you looking at it, too. So I cropped off the bottom. Now you can just imagine what she is doing...
The watercolor underpainting worked well. It gave me shapes - but the pastels made this happen!
It is now in a gold frame which makes it glow... and waiting to be hung in a show at the St Michaels Library during the month of May. Stop by and see the original!
