"An artist is an explorer." ~Henri Matisse
Underneath this woman lies an ugly witch. She appeared as I was exploring what pastel pencils and charcoal could do at the end of an afternoon of painting. I thought my exploration might lead to a quick study but I gave up on her when I saw her crooked eyes and blotchy skin.
The witch stayed on the desk for more than a week. Many times, I considered throwing her in the trash.
And then, the familiar 'Why not?' came to mind. It is a question I am asking a lot lately.
Why not try smoothing out some of the harsh lines? Why not use some of the pan pastels I had bought in the States and hardly used?
Why not even out her eyes with charcoal? and the next question...What do I have to lose?
The pan pastels worked beautifully to add a more uniform colour to her cheeks. I collaged her blouse from a paper napkin. This rough sketch took no more than 45 minutes from start to finish.
I am happy to have her as she will be a "before" image for my portfolio. I noticed that Ivette Newport, (www.ivynewport.com ) has a lesson on pastel painting and I can hardly wait to get started.
But first, more exploration to come as I finish a mixed media journal girl.
J’aime bien ta phase ” Why not ? “. Et l’idée de la combinaison du collage est fameuse ! Tu es bonne dans le portrait .
Bravo ! Marie
Merci bien! Ce n’est que le début de mes expériences. Ma chambre d’art est un vrai désastre avec plusieurs projets en marche. Mais pour le moment, c’est le temps d’aller marcher car il fait tellement beau dehors. À bientôt!