Beautiful Ladies
So instructor first wanted us to do our painting in soft pastels. Below is the results. I really like this lady. She is very beautiful!
Once the soft pastel drawing was COMPLETELY FINISHED, the instructor told us to get water, a couple of paint brushes and to open our GESSO!!! What??? Are you serious? What does Gesso have to do with soft pastel paintings?
Below is the completed results of using watered down Gesso. I was nervous about using the Gesso full strength. In this process, you dramatically overdo the intital lay down of colors, as the second stage will bring them back to a softer look. The instructor was hoping that we would use a "painterly style" to build volume and leave visible brushstrokes. I do have some visible brushstrokes although they may be hard to see in this photo.
The painterly brushstrokes are pleasing because it leaves something to the viewer's imagination and we can see the hand of the artist more plainly. Painting in this style is fun beause it allows for the implusive use of color and an unrestrained painting manner!
Too. Much. Fun.!
