Delta Dawn

Step-by-Step Demonstration

 

 

My painting of Delta Dawn began with this drawing several years ago.

One of the many sketches that I

did in preparation.

This small watercolor painting helped me understand how I wanted the shadows to look.

I changed the face after my original model moved away. It’s very normal for me to swap bodies, heads, etc., just to get what I need.  I’m not trying to make a portrait of any one person.  Sometimes I just make up stuff.

Here are some sketches of hands.  Often, I will get different people to pose for things like hands, feet, or faces for just one painting.

Here’s the way I started the painting, with a pencil drawing on my paper. I am using 140# HP.

I like to do the background first.  I am usually so tired of it by the time I finish the  figure that I don’t want to do a good job on the background.  So I do it first.

The background is painted with repeated washes.  I didn’t use any kind of masking. I just paint around the figure. I don’t let the brush touch the paper when I am running a wash.  I let gravity and capillary action do the work. The brush just guides the bead of water along.

With the background finished (I decided later to remove the blinds), I began work on the figure with purple washes in the shadows.

Over the initial purple washes, I added washes of burnt sienna, raw sienna, purple made from quinacridone red & ultramarine blue, cadmium red light, and burnt umber.

Here is the finished head up close. Dry-brush gives the skin its texture.  I scratch away highlights as needed with an X-Acto knife. I hardly ever use white paint.

I just continue the process down the body.  The right arm is almost finished.

The process is continued with the legs.  Washes of the above-mentioned colors are painted over the purple under-painting.

 

This close-up and the next one show how I build up the colors.

 

The hand is close to completion.  It will still get some more paint to bring out the illusion of form and skin.

 

I have gotten back to work on the legs.  I have strengthened the shadows of the legs with more purple washes.

 

The legs and feet are just about finished.  I used dry-brush to finish the skin on the legs.  Nothing else can produce the texture that I like so much. I have also begun finishing the chair.

 

Everything is done except for the shirt.  I have begun laying in the shadows with purple,  leaving white where the sunlight is falling. 

 

Here is the finished painting.  It is pure transparent watercolor, and measures approximately 22x30.

 

This painting, like most that I do, is on a full sheet of Arches 140# Hot Press paper.  I stretch the paper on a board using the technique that I describe in "Demonstration #2"  my brushes are usually kolinsky sable, although I use other types.  I don't stick to any one brand of paint.  I buy whatever is good, lightfast, and on sale. I really can't tell any difference between the brands.