New Series for January 2016

Somewhere between the holidays, travel, being sick and prepping for a new semester...I didn't get around to a proper introduction of my new series, even though I have been posting the daily pieces as I create them in this brand new year.   

I knew for this month I wanted to get back to working with pencil.  Originally my intention was to just work with pencil on paper portraits- no frills.  But...I kinda like the frills, and the first piece just needed a little something.  

And then it came to me- pencil portraits of ladies...right now random ladies but I have thought about using specific faces, not sure about that yet...and I am pairing each face with a quote I feel goes with the expression/feeling of the face I render.  And...heck, why not throw in some watercolor too.

So...here is what I have so far;

I decided to call the series 'Girl Talk' (#GirlTalkJLG) because I am drawing ladies...'cause ladies are so lovely...and...because there are quotes.  The quotes so far haven't been all ladies talkin'...but now that I am kinda solidifying the series...well, maybe that might be a consideration for how I choose my quotes from here on out.  I can be so regimented when I work, especially when I start a new series so I try to leave myself a little wiggle room if I can.

When I had the idea to add watercolor to my first pieces in the series, it reminded me of this specific piece I did as a commission waaaay back in 2004 (?) when I teaching art and coaching cheer at LRHS in Raleigh.  One of my cheerleaders commissioned me to create this drawing of her boyfriend at the time.  I worked from several photos that she gave me...and side note, I don't grid I work from sight...not that gridding is bad, just easier for me to draw without one.  (I will use one if I am enlarging something wall-size though, believe that!) For this drawing my goal was to combine tight graphite rendering with a fade into watercolor effect.  I think now I would go even 'looser' on the 'loose' parts and 'tighter' on the rendering...but for back then, I am pleased with how it turned out.  

My goals for this month's series are to get back to drawing with pencil...getting lost in shading...playing with tight rendering and loose sketchy line...and using  color as way to contrast with the pencil and emphasize it.