Faces

At the end of last year I tried something that I hadn't tried before. I drew (half of) a face. I spent a loooong time on that little sketch and put her into my Documented Faith journal. It began something in me that surprised me. It filled me with a desire to learn how to do faces and incorporate them into my art. My goal is for the faces to be whimsical more than realistic, but not so technically off that another artist cringes to look at them. I am hard on myself, but I also have really learned to love the work of my hands and appreciate the talents that God gave to me to use and to improve. Here's a run-down of the faces I've practiced so far...

My first (partial) face in my Documented Faith journal - December 2015

painstakingly coloured with watercolour pencils

An attempt at a whimsical self-portrait in my journal - December 2015

Now that's a BIG head!

I can hardly believe that growing up I preferred wax crayons to pencil crayons - I love pencil crayons, now!

a fun little sketch I did after I decided that I was going for fun and not realism - December 2015
  

January 2016 - Faces

1/2016 my first rough sketch before the colour.

My first attempt to paint a face. I wrote on Facebook and Instagram "Someday I'll look at her and either laugh at how far I've (hopefully) come or look at her with pride because I took a chance and began." 1/2016

2/2016 Usually I leave the watercolour pencils dry, but I experimented with water and had fun with it. She looks kind of sad, I'm working on that.

3/2016 One of my favourites so far! I usually prefer my raw sketches and other than a little bit of white chalk marker for highlights, I left her with the background showing through.

4/2016 My first face in my Bible journaling. Hebrews 2:1 I did a quick colour, but mostly kept it in it's raw sketch form. 

5/2016 My least favourite so far. Her proportions are odd and I think I was rushing too much. I never attempt to show a specific age, but they end up younger or older as I go and I don't fight it.

6/2016 I was determined to try another face in my Bible and spent a good long time on this one. I couldn't figure out how to do her hair under her crown, so I went with more of a medieval queen's attire instead. Cheated a bit, but I still think she's beautiful.

7/2016 I practiced some basics in my art journal - just pencil and pen (no pictures to share - sorry)

8/2016 My first canvas attempt. I am much better with pencils and markers than I am a paintbrush. Though she is flawed in many ways, I am overall happy with her and am not discouraged from trying again. Practicing for progress not perfection.

9/2016 In my art journal. In an attempt to find a faster medium than pencils, but not as much mess/effort as paint, I tried oil pastel in her hair. In the end, it's still pretty messy and took a decent effort. I'm not unhappy with it, but probably won't be too quick to go that route again.

10/2016 a did a pencil sketch of a face in a letter to my sister. Again, no picture to share.

10 faces in the month of January. I'm pretty happy with that.  Oh, and on a side note, I am trying to get them to look happier and would definitely benefit from some proper training. I have gleaned a lot from Youtube videos by Dina Wakley and Jane Davenport. I have several art books in my amazon wish list, but for now, PRACTICING!