This perky fellow is Jack, the "granddog" of a client who commissioned Jack's portrait as a gift for her son's birthday. After several emails back and forth with the client to settle on a pose and size, I headed for Photoshop to experiment with the saturation, levels, contrast and brightness and sharpening filter. When I'd gotten Jack pretty much where I wanted him I printed out four prints:
1. The actual pose
2. A black and white version for a handy value chart
3 & 4: A couple of other shots of Jack that, posewise were not usable, but colorwise were excellent references. The preferred pose is a little washed out from the camera's flash, so to get Jack's true colors I asked the client to select additional references that are accurate colorwise. I'll be working from three photos while doing the portrait to get the information I need.
I've also been busy making color charts for my cp's. Somehow or other I've ended up with 160 different colors in various brands, which is wonderful, but makes selecting a color a little tougher. Every time I went for a different color I'd scribble a little swatch on scrap paper to see if it was the color I wanted. The light bulb finally went off (better late than never) that I should make a color chart for cp's as I'd done for watercolors. Apparently some of us are slow learners ;-)
The color chart has been quite informative. I found colors I had not used because... well, the color's name or outside color on the barrel of the pencil didn't seem to fit the job. Several colors weren't at all what I was expecting. It feels like I have new pencils!
So, we're now a little better organized and Jack is ready and waiting to have his portrait painted.
I'm off to get some lunch and then I have a date with Jack. See you soon with a WIP!
14 comments:
Can't wait to see this portrait.
Jean
Jack has a great face! I bet you will have fun painting him. The colour charts are a great idea. I need to make up a chart of my watercolour paints - another job on my 'to do' list. x
I look forward to seeing the finished portrait Teresa - I must say he is a handsome chap and just my sort of dog. Good luck with it.
Jack is darling. I can't wait to see your WIP.
I swear, sometimes... When I read your post, I sat here saying, "cp's?, cp's?" It's noon, so I don't have the excuse of not being awake yet:)
Woohoo! Good to see you back at the art table!!
Looking forward to the WIP!
What a cutie. I look forward to seeing the WIP.
looks a wonderful subject, I started colour charts but I also hole punched each swatch in the middle to lay over portraits, this has shown I do have pencils in the exact colour whereas I was having to blend layers before, fantastic help!
Hey a black dog, that will be fun to render! And no I am not being sarcastic. A black dog will have lots of 'colour' in his fur. I enjoy doing work like that - like all of the colours one can find in a white object or all of the colours I am finding in green peas these days. :-) Looking forward to the wips...
Cute little dog, looking forward to the WIP. You have some great advice in this post and in the comments. :)
What patience you have doing all those charts!
They look rather nice in themselves with the hand writing especially. They make a lovely stipey pattern.
Hi Teresa.
Brilliant preperation work you have done there. That portrait is
going to turn out great. Dying to see it. All the best Teresa.
Vic.
Congrats, Teresa, on your new "assignment"! I think Jack will be a joy to paint. Thanks for posting your thought process in setting up the portrait. It will be fun to see Jack's portrait develop.
Oh, I can't wait to see this! Hurry up and post the WIP!
Sounds like a great adventure! I don't have any talent for sketching.
Vicki
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