Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post

Michael Georges · 01-08-2003, 03:24 PM

Hello Chris,

Thanks for your post.

My panel is 1/4 inch masonite.

I create a "Windberg" style panel - i.e., a panel that has a very fine sandpaper-like texture. I start by sanding the masonite and rolling on 4 coats of professional gesso with marble dust added to it. I then sand the whole thing so it is smooth as ivory with no grain or real texture visible. My last coat is the same gesso, but thinned about 1/3 with polymer medium. I roll it out very evenly and once the surface is covered, I keep rolling it with a soft slightly damp foam roller till the texture is like fine sandpaper. I then use good professional gesso to seal the back and sides.

This makes an excellent surface for charcoal. You can scratch, carve, erase, pull out. I blend with bristle brushes and it just eats them up, but I have not found anything that does a better job, so I keep buying them.

I sometimes tone my ground and work in from the middle, and other times, I work directly on the white and work inward. Both styles create differing looks - the toned ground tends to look more soft and I usually have to use white pastel in those to really pull highlights. This portrait is done straight on white.

I don't fix my charcoals as they are pretty durable once applied to that surface and I find that fixatives can sometimes change the values. I do recommend framing them under glass. This particular piece I will frame for the client, so the actual panel is 3 inches larger all around to accomodate the matts. We are going to give it a double matt of a light cream inside and a dark sage suede matt outside with a fairly rustic natural wood frame.

I find that charcoal is a good entry into portraiture for many people as the cost is in the hundreds instead of the thousands for a portrait. I do a lot of them. And they are great to do at shows as it really draws people in.

01-08-2003, 03:24 PM	#5
Michael Georges PAINTING PORTRAITS FROM LIFE MODERATOR FT Professional Joined: Nov 2001 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 846	Hello Chris, Thanks for your post. My panel is 1/4 inch masonite. I create a "Windberg" style panel - i.e., a panel that has a very fine sandpaper-like texture. I start by sanding the masonite and rolling on 4 coats of professional gesso with marble dust added to it. I then sand the whole thing so it is smooth as ivory with no grain or real texture visible. My last coat is the same gesso, but thinned about 1/3 with polymer medium. I roll it out very evenly and once the surface is covered, I keep rolling it with a soft slightly damp foam roller till the texture is like fine sandpaper. I then use good professional gesso to seal the back and sides. This makes an excellent surface for charcoal. You can scratch, carve, erase, pull out. I blend with bristle brushes and it just eats them up, but I have not found anything that does a better job, so I keep buying them. I sometimes tone my ground and work in from the middle, and other times, I work directly on the white and work inward. Both styles create differing looks - the toned ground tends to look more soft and I usually have to use white pastel in those to really pull highlights. This portrait is done straight on white. I don't fix my charcoals as they are pretty durable once applied to that surface and I find that fixatives can sometimes change the values. I do recommend framing them under glass. This particular piece I will frame for the client, so the actual panel is 3 inches larger all around to accomodate the matts. We are going to give it a double matt of a light cream inside and a dark sage suede matt outside with a fairly rustic natural wood frame. I find that charcoal is a good entry into portraiture for many people as the cost is in the hundreds instead of the thousands for a portrait. I do a lot of them. And they are great to do at shows as it really draws people in. __________________ Michael Georges www.fineportraitsinoil.com Michael's Life Drawing & Painting Blog Regular and consistent work from life will improve your portraits. Drawing skills are the foundation of all an artist does.