Katrina
 

18" x 14", graphite/ white charcoal on 'fawn' colored Stonehenge. I played with it in Photoshop trying to get the paper color, so some of the contrast is off. Thanks for looking.

Jimmie,
I like the way one hand is finished and the other one is not! Can we see a close-up of the face and of the hand? You know I love to study your work. It always helps me with mine.

Oh yeah, and another BEAUTIFUL Jimmie Arroyo Portrait!!
Congratulations!! ;)

This one definitely has "attitude"! I like it very much.

Jean

Thank you Patricia and Jean,

Here's a closeup of the face and hand. It's still far from the original, but it gives a fair idea of the individual pencil strokes used to build up to the final result.

Beautifully sensual and well designed.

Jimmie, I just had this on the computer screen, left the room and came back in. The effect from a distance is really amazing. This must be truly impressive in person! The fading off is perfect.

Jean

Jimmie,
Thanks for the closeup. I am restarting Christine on Stonehedge (after your advice) and will attempt to work as you suggested back and forth between hard and soft pencils. I have some soft gray. Have you ever seen Stonehenge in white? I know my son and daughter-in-law want their portraits on white paper but I can't find one that I like. The best portraits I have done, in Tony Ryder's class and Brandon, have been on toned Stonehenge. Maybe I should stubbornly stick with what works.

This particular portrait of yours is such a great one for me to study. Your work always inspires me.

Thanks

Thank you Sharon and Jean.

Patricia,

I have only used white once, it was for my self portrait.

It may not look so by my picture, but it's much brighter than on screen. I personally would not use it for sensitive portraits, unless I wanted higher contrast. You may want to practice on a small piece of it first before doing a full drawing. I think I bought mine online, (Dick Blick?) some places offer a sampler pack, just ask if white is an option. If they let you chose the paper, try also Stonehenge's fawn colored paper. "katrina" is on fawn, but the color is nicer than what you see here on screen.

Take care.

I've seen (should say studied!) your self-portrait in the past. It is an incredible piece. Good to know Stonehenge does come in white. Think I will look for the fawn color, too.
Thanks.

Wow
 

Jimmy,

You were born to have a pencil in your hand.

This is my most favorite piece you've done. Great pose, love how you've kept the the drawing simplified in some areas, detailed in others, and the style seems really becoming to the subject - It all makes for a very intriguing piece to look at again and again.

Congratulations