Christy, part 2

Continuing the rapid painting series with Christy. I find myself trying out slightly different techniques in each picture, searching for what will and won’t work for me. I haven’t been zooming in and applying detail to the faces, and it hurts to do. I hate every one of these faces. They don’t look a thing like him and I keep feeling like I’ve failed.

Here’s how I can measure how I’m doing with my figure work. I freehand sketch the figure, trying to get the basic shapes in place and proportional. During that phase, I can take measurements from the reference and use them to inform the drawing. When it appears to be in good shape, I overlay a copy of the reference at 50% opacity and compare to my sketch. How did I do?

Over the course of the 10 of these paintings and 51 figure sketches from the class, I have made good strides. Where I need work still is in placing the head/neck and getting the legs the right length and angle. The torso and arms I generally have pretty solid.

As far as the painting goes? I don’t know. Some of them seem ok. I keep trying out different color approaches to see if something will stick. So far nothing has struck me as “right”.