Mother and Child step 4

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Here I have continued working on the heads and started laying in more of the background. I am using lighter tones than the photograph has in the background, wanting to keep a bit more of a light filled atmosphere. I don't want the space to seem dark and depressing. I use grayed out colors of green, reds, and violets to compliment the greens and golds in the main area of the painting.

Mother and Child step 3

In step three, I start laying darks, warm and cool colors, using the side of the sticks in brush-like strokes as well as cross hatching in other areas using the ends of the sticks. I am trying to establish the pattern of light and shadow. I am searching for the temperature changes particularly in the skin tones.

Step Two

Portrait Painting Demo

I recently was the demo artist for UArt sanded pastel paper at the NAMTA trade show. I started this on their 800 grit board. Here is the first stage, the drawing. I am working on 24x18 and I gridded the board to help keep the composition placed correctly. I have drawn this on in a sepia colored pastel pencil.