Ballerina Babe

I think referring to this piece as a Baby is appropriate.  She sure demanded a lot of me.  She’s over six months old now and just starting to gain some independence and show some of her own personality.  Thank Goodness! 



Roughed in the ballerina with a watercolor wash.  Things look pretty chunky here.



I stuck with watercolor and w/c pencils for the shoes.



I had to tone down the ladies orangey-ness.  (It seems she likes carrots!! Haha)



I didn’t touch this piece throughout February and most of March.  I finally realized I couldn’t avoid the hair any longer if I wanted this finished.  Studied up a bit on hair rendering.  Apparently, I need to pick at least 4 colors, one highlight, one low-light and the rest in between.  I am to make each strand go in the direction that it lays.  With the highlight areas, I just left the white alone.



Don’t judge me too hard, I still have lots to learn.  But at least it’s passable.  Meaning…..you know that it’s hair.



As is my habit, I brought in my fine-point microns to finish the job. When I go over the colored pencil, the tip of the markers take up some of that wax……time is spent squiggling that wax off as seen here.



With my skill level…this is as good as it’s going to get.  So I deemed her done.  Off to the frame shop. 


Couldn’t capture the same light cuz I wasn’t up early enough. (Pic on left from Dec, Pic on right from Today)



Lessons learned:

• Be careful with the amount of water used for the paper type.  I’ve since found some other sturdier w/c illustration board that I want to try next.
• It’s ok to pop your colors….I preferred the ballet slippers brighter, but realistically the first color was more accurate.  Yea, for creative license!!
• Bring in the colored pencils after the watercolor work is done. No one wants to go over colored pencils with watercolor…trust me!
• Don’t expect perfection.
• 
  

And the image that started this….found her on instagram.…check out user @infinitylove231

Walk don’t Run….Ballerina

I finally realized why I was having so much trouble with this illustration board.  Well…..it’s a drawing illustration board that can handle light washes and I’ve been doing pretty heavy washes.  I forgot!  Ugh!



Since I needed to walk away from this ballerina myself…..I had to start another watercolor figure…..albeit on a different type of board.



I erased as best as I could some of the splotchy-ness of the watercolor and pencils.



Then I had to salvage what I could…if I could….of this ballerina in the only way I knew how and that was with good ‘ole colored pencils.  It was like coming home!! What a relief!



Sketching is just like sculpting with these pencils….I have not figured out how to sculpt with watercolor….don’t even know if there is a way?



Had to tone down some of that orangey-ness to her skin, so I brought in a light blue/green pencil.



It’s very hard to notice any progress once the figures get this large.  And for the record there is a bit, as seen from the early figure on the left (majority watercolor only) to the later shot (colored pencils over w/c) on the right. 

Keep Walkin’…..Ballerina

This is where we left off at this Ballerina’s last post!  And…..I’ve got a lot to learn!



This paper is not playing nicely.  I’ve probably done everything wrong in the making here….for instance:

• I like sharp pencils (apparently the board doesn’t…makes it flake later)
• I put detail in too early with colored pencils then went over it in watercolor
• I didn’t pre-wet any sections first….wet-on-wet watercolor makes for a more even application
• Watercolor doesn’t like to be tinkered with….I’ve been a-tinkering

Almost trashed this piece last weekend…then I thought “what the heck….just work it…so what if it’s got problems, get to know your watercolors your way”.  It was experiment and push the limits time, and I was finally ready!



I got rid of that w/c pencil stippling with brush watercolor….I upped the vibrancy in the slippers with Opera Pink!  This is my favorite pink!  It will not be ignored.



Took m’lady outside in natural light, so that I could see just what that pigment was doing.  I’ve decided from here out it is best if I don’t refer to the picture so much anymore….it confuses me.

Watercolor is it’s own animal!

Walk On….ballerina style

I was wanting to color-sketch big and when I came across this ballerina “done with practice for the day”, I thought she’d be the perfect candidate. 



Did the watercolor wash first.  Then started in on the slippers…you know the easy stuff!



If you’ve been following me on instagram then this scene won’t be so new to you.



This will give you a perspective as to the size.  30 x 40 inches.  It’s the same brand of illustration board as I used for the Horse.  But I’m having much trouble with the paper.  It seems to not like the watercolor so much.  It’s bumping up on me and it’s flaking off.  I don’t remember that being an issue with the horse! Ugh! 



Stayed with watercolor and w/c pencils as long as humanly possible!  But, the board seems happier when I use colored pencils.



Onto the hands….I seem to “get” the hands when I do them in watercolor.  Watercolor is so pliable, it just adapts better to all those cracks and crevices.



This back is going to be fun!  One minute it’s watercolor time the next it’s colored pencil time.  But they seem to work well with each other….so I’m happy!




The w/c pencils used so far.  All lined up….ready to go!



I just love this ladies attitude!! She’s so confident and cute!  I hope I can do her justice