So, I am getting more comfortable returning to faces again. Still, a long way to go, but it’s so interesting starting something and then remembering that I do or did actually know how to do this at one point.

An example of this was hair. Couldn’t quite work out how to do hair, then tried sketching it instead and remembered that I had in fact done a drawing many years ago of long curly hair. (Don’t know what happened to it). Also did a portrait sketch of Rober Plant, again mainly for the hair.

So here are the hair tryouts.

So with some trepidation, I tried to do a watercolour face. It was a pretty face, but my goodness I must have done 20 layers, it was ridiculous. Which explains why it looks so patchy. But that was a good lesson to learn. A good strong wash to start. It was weird, I would have exactly the right colouring for the skin, go and have a cuppa, and while I understand well that watercolour fades as it dries, this didn’t fade, it disappeared. So I’d have to go again.

There was a great clip on YT on making skin colour, and it worked and felt right for me, just the three primaries, and It works a treat.

His name is James, his channel is Finelinered and he does some awesome stuff on his channel. Not my style but so full of admiration. If you want to see the clip it’s here:

so my first attempt at patchy skin lol.

As you can see:

Then I wanted to have a go at inking the eyes, so had another try with a small study:

I wanted to try with stronger colours and see if I could get the shading better in just a couple of layers, so this adorable little girl was the next victim.

I wasn’t unhappy with her. The first face layer was much stronger and worked a treat.

Her hair could be improved, but that wasn’t the focus here.

Then finally I wanted to try an interesting weathered face. I want to challenge myself and get better rather than just repeat stuff. I suppose I should learn to walk before running, but I know that is when I started getting bored with stuff, so I decided on an image of a lovely old smiley Asian guy. I spent a few evenings just picking it up and putting it down. I think I’m getting the idea now of how to do the shading for lines.

And yes I was happy with this.

So next is to try and do something like this but in watercolour.

I just get so excited to keep trying new things, and am very blessed that now I have all the equipment I want to keep trying these new things.

So, wrinkles time. Suppose I could just do a self-portrait lol.