Guy Portrait

This is not the first step. The first step was to drop some masking fluid on dry paper away from the face. When dry I wet the entire image and dropped more masking fluid and then let it dry. Once dry I re-wet the paper and loaded a lot of Transparent Yellow and stayed away from the face But let it soften and spread. While wet I dropped more masking fluid and then let it dry completely. Once dry I dropped more masking fluid and let it dry. Once dry, I re-wet the paper and loaded Permanent Rose staying away from the face letting the color soften and spread. While wet I sprinkled more masking fluid and let it dry. Once dry I started adding more Permanent Rose to block in the eyes and the edges of my face, shoulders and hair edges softening the edges outward. When dry I sprinkled more masking fluid and then let it dry.

I forgot to mention that you can see all the layers of spattered masking fluid, from the white of the paper, yellow, and the different shades of permanent rose. Do you see all the different colored splatters?

I re-wet the paper and loaded more Permanent Rose softening the hard edges I created in the previous step. While wet I sprinkled more masking fluid and then when dry, I sprinkled more masking fluid. This makes some soft edges "circles" and some hard edges circles. The masking fluid saves the color and protects it as we keep adding other colors. Notice the blossoms and also notice that I left them alone. I trust that they will be absorbed as I add more layers of color. I want to paint an image trusting that they will work out - I want to paint, not fix mistakes. I trust my process.

When completely dry, I removed some of the larger spatters because they are too big and too light, they were just too obnoxious. So when I load more color they will no longer be big and obnoxious. Notice the bright pink splatters? they used to be white! They are not too jarring.

I re-wet the paper but stayed away from my hair and face and neck and loaded a nice amount of Bright Rose and let it soften and spread in the background. Because the entire paper wasn't wet the color only softened and spread where the paper was wet. While wet I sprinkled more masking fluid and when dry I sprinkled more masking fluid.

Again, when completely dry, I removed some of the LIGHT spatters because they are too bright and obnoxious. So when I load more color they will covered with Winsor Violet. Notice the purplish splatters? they used to be white! They are not too jarring.

They only turn purplish when I do the following:

I re-wet the paper around my hair and face and shoulders and loaded a nice amount of Winsor Viiolet and let it soften and spread in the background. Because the entire paper wasn't wet the color only softened and spread where the paper was wet. While wet I sprinkled more masking fluid and when dry I sprinkled more masking fluid.

I used a light amount of Winsor Violet and darkened in the eyes, nose and lips, and added to the hair. I also glazed in a light amount to the shadow under my jaw all the way down to the open shirt that is showing skin.

When dry I added a few more sprinkles of masking and let it dry.

I re-wet the paper staying away from the face and neck, but wet the shirt. I started from the top loading in a creamy amount of French Ultra marine Blue and tilted the paper so it would run down the paper. I love the texture - it's very grainy.

While wet I sprinkled a bit of masking fluid then let it dry.

I added more definition with a light amount of Winsor Violet to the face and hair, started adding the mustache, and deepened the shadow under my jaw

I added even more definition with a light amount of Winsor Violet and Permanent Rose to the face and hair, started adding the mustache, and deepened the shadow under my jaw.

I also lifted some color to indicate longer wispier hair by loading a wet brush and wiping off with a clean tisssue.

When the paper is completely dry, I remove all the masking with a Rubber Cement Pick-up Eraser.

The little circles of light and color are too jarring for the image. I love them, but they are pulling focus away from the main focal area which is mel

I dampened one at a time, the little dots and loaded in some color and let it soften and spread.

Now I'm adding a deeper amount of Winsor Violet to add dimension and definition to the face and hair.

Here's what it looks like when color corrected. Reference is below.