Cheveux Blanc

This week I have been working on Daenerys a little bit, especially focusing on her lovely luscious locks. Her character in the show/books has beautiful white blonde hair with an almost silver quality to it, so I am attempting to replicate that. Cue dramatic music. This is much harder than I originally thought. I've decided I much prefer drawing hair than painting it ;) But no matter....These past few months have taught me it's all about confidence and exploration....Right? Right. I'll try to keep telling myself that. 

I am a little bit scared to push her too far so I am going to play around with her digitally using photoshop over the next few weeks, so I won't make any rash decisions that may ruin her forever. I was thinking of giving her a gold leaf halo, what do you think? It might all be a bit too much, but I just love gold leaf. Mmmmm :) I also have to make a decision on whether to add more bugs & insects or whether I should leave them as they are and start filling in her dress. This is another thing I am anticipating to be a bit of a challenge for me. I just have to do a lot of reading and exploration about how to paint material....something tells me it won't be a walk in the park though.

I also did some gold leafing and some quick speed drawing to get things flowing. It was really fun and I was quite pleased with the results. If I do say so self. Hehe. Drawing comes so much more naturally to me.

The more I am down playing and flitting around my little studio I realise how much painting, drawing, squishing paint around on wood....everything to do with art really, is just like a science. Constant equations to work out....what to mix with what, what will go on top of what, which colours will mix together.....it makes my head hurt sometimes! But in a good way. I have been feeling very invigorated & challenged recently...just in case you were interested. Everyone should try drawing or painting or shmooshing or frolicking & wondering and wandering about art. It is so fulfilling! Warms up my soul (and I need it in this bitterly cold hills weather).

Wheeeee! There's some food for thought. 'Till next time!

xo. E

~ I N S P I R A T I O N ~

xo. E

Playing all day in the studio.

Today I have been frolicking down in my studio and it has been deeeeelicious. I love it. The incense is burning, the candles are lit and I finally cleaned my palette. Ah. 

I have been playing around with some pretty new oil colours that I unearthed, just seeing how the paint is reacting with the wood- what mixers I have to use....just generally trying to get a handle on whatever the hell I'm doing. I find myself easily frustrated when it comes to painting ~ it is not something that is coming all that naturally to me...not like drawing does. I know I just have to spend the time and practice practice practice but the impatient part of my personality wishes I could just be good at it already! 

I find it easier to combat the abstract elements of painting- but portraiture is another thing entirely. The face changes so much as you try to paint it / versus draw it. My god. You have to build up layers and start of with a much looser idea and placement of the features than when you just make a mark with drawing and map out where the eyes/nose/cheekbones go at the beginning. It has made me realise I definitely need to get going on doing some research and reading on the planes and proportions of the face. Once I have a true handle on where everything is meant to fall and how the face changes at different angles / where the light falls etc I think painting faces will come a lot easier and I won't be getting as annoyed with myself.

For now I have just been drawing away on some more insects for Daenerys and am in the process of blocking in her beautiful white hair with some oils (mix of titanium and zinc white). I will be putting in some shadows and darking strands with a light grey and the highlight of her braids. I have pretty much decided upon a dusty grey/blue light wash for her dress but I will have to do lots of practice at drawing material before I make any marks that might ruin her. I've don't usually draw clothing on my girls! Hehe.

Well here are some photos of my latest endeavors. Bye pretties!

xo. E

work in progress pictures of Daenerys

applying some layers of white oil paint as her silver locks

i'm such a basket lady (case)

colours like patchwork

on my desk this week

my studio is starting to look so beautiful I LOVE IT.

floor dweller

All my instrument holders are pretty

cleaning my palette ~ the worst part of the job!

sometimes when I'm bored I paint my palette instead of my panels

#fromwhereistand

the promise of a new panel ~ argh! my favourite thing.

pretty frame I found from the op shop

~ I N S P I R A T I O N ~

xo. E