Girl in white hat - painting in progress

I jumped rather from charcoal to this stage which is really getting on towards finished. There is still more to do though, shading and detail. Still I am quite pleased with her.

Girl in white hat - charcoal sketch

Hmmm thought she would be easier than the Boldini Sharon gave us..... but no....that hat was not easy at all. I won't get back to this now for the best part of a week as family stuff....but will post when I can. I can see the hat is not big enough and she needs a bit more chin already! But...there is no room for more chin and anyway I think that would make her look older...what is it....I will have to look and think here....

Next face on Sharon's course....

This is Portrait of a girl" by the Bulgarian painter, Georgi Mashev. Probably going to have a break from painting this weekend as I have also started on a Christmas blanket for my youngest grandson. But I am looking forward to having a go at this painting. She is sweet isn't she? (Sharon Tomlinson - "Diary of Faces" course)

She's done....or is it me?!

I think I have finished, done the best I can anyway. Here she is.....

Definitely a challenge!

About halfway I think, maybe a bit more. Lots of detail to finalise and add, lots of work still to do on the eye, mouth and nose. Getting these shades in has been haaaarrrd!!! One thing I have done though, is get much much bolder, much less afraid of the acrylic paint itself and the shadows and the swishing movements on this painting have really helped that along! Can't do any more today though, need to leave it and look at it again tomorrow.

Next challenge on Diary of Faces!

My initial charcoal sketch.....

Rag dolly and Ted!

I have finally finished the rag dolly I have been making - for ages and ages - for my little grandaughter, Rose and just in time for her fourth birthday. I am really very thrilled with her mostly because I found making the clothes so hard. I never learned to dressmake or use a sewing maching as a child and it was something that has been terrifying for me all my life. No matter how hard I tried as a young mum to conquer that fear, it never came. I managed things that were straight, like curtains, but never something with a pattern. I made little Rose a "kit" dress when she was small when I bought myself a small machine but it wasn't too good and her other nana makes her the most stunning dresses so I have hung my attempts in this area really! :-)

Still I am good with hand stitching and love quilting and embroidery so I was determined to give Dolly a go. Some of her was done on my machine but every time I used it I broke out in a cold sweat and could have done those bits much quicker by hand with the time I spent messing around trying to thread the machine, the bobbin, get the tension right!! :-) Still, last night she was complete even down to the little teddy in her pocket ..... oh and her bloomers as you can see from the second photo!

A painting by Giovanni Boldini

Here is the next face to work on in my course on All Norah's Art.....looks pretty scarey hard to me!! We'll see what happens!

The italian artist is Giovanni Boldini (1842-1931) ....if you take a look at his beautiful work you will find some stunning pictures - he seems to have portrayed women very beautifully. Apparently he is known as the "King of Swish" because of his beautiful impressionistic brush strokes. Got to say I think this is lovely if frighteninly hard to work with but Sharon is a great teacher and her videos to help on this one are very encouraging so we will see...... :-)

Copy of "Joan of Arc" - finished

I have to finish...I keep fiddling and twiddling... don't think I can do any more but am pretty pleased with her.....for me!

Joan of Arc (3)

Several more layers and a layer of matte medium,some touching up needed especially those yellow bits!

Joan of Arc (2)

First two-ish layers of paint on skin.....really want to record more stages this time as it is several and I am getting slightly more confident in accepting that it is several layers and not just one or two....

Going to have a break now today.....

New painting in progress

"Joan of Arc"
- Charles Frederick Goldie (1870-1947).
The new painting to work with last week on my course with Sharon Tomlinson "Diary of Faces" www.allnorahsart.ning.com is "Joan of Arc" by Charles Frederick Goldie (1870-1947). Here is my effort, stage 1, my charcoal sketch. Terrified of those hands, heaven alone knows what they will be like when I paint them!