Because I Say So

Because I Say So 7/19/16

Art Journal Spread, Step-by-Step

The Plan: 

Use modeling paste for the first time. Leave open white or color field spaces. Take my time with each layer and being aware of composition, contrast and drawing the eye around with each layer. It doesn’t have to all happen in one day.

Watercolor process and tips

(1) Penciled the portrait and did a light wash in watercolor. Watercolor tips: paint an area with plain water first and let partially dry so it is no longer shiny. Then paint with your watercolor paint. The paint goes where the water is. This prevents edge lines and blooms where you don't want them. Paint lightly and add layers. You can always put on more pigment in more layers later.
(2) Put watercolor and metalic copper watercolor paint around the modeling paste on left. Oooooo pretty!
(3) Outlined features with the same shade of peach I used for the first wash and added a skosh of copper for the lips. Still nice and light. Painted the eyes.

(4) Went a bit darker with features and shading. Lips look too pursed.

(5) Used gesso to change lip line, looks more relaxed now.

(6) Penciled in hair strand lines and followed with dark watercolor. Did a light wash for shirt and background.

(7) Filled in hair with a slightly different color.

(8) Using plain water on my brush, moved the hair strand color over the entire hair area. Darkened blue background.

Tinkering with the shading on the right cheek fatigued the paper which made a crease where I didn't want it, so I  put some modeling paste through the same stencil on the face and background next to it. I hadn't planned on doing that but I like it.

Some of the shading was still too dark on the facial features so tried to lighten them with gesso and repaint with the watercolor. This did not work.

(9) Decided to color the newly added modeling paste to match the face and background colors to push it back. Better.

Integrating the Spread

Added some green to the left page to harmonize with the right page. Added some journaling that includes the text, "I am an artist because I say so. I am an artist because I take the time and do detailed work. I am an artist because it is important to me."

(10)  Fixed the shading problem with gesso tinted with the correct color. I am new to using gesso with watercolor, so this is what I will do from now on.

The suprise: the interesting way the watercolor soaks into the dry modeling paste.