|
Jimmie,
I noticed the similarity of your pastel to my first efforts in the medium. The skintones go from light to medium to dark orangey brown, without much variation. Look at your own hand in daylight. Look at the blues, the yellows, the reds, whatever you see. There is infinite variation.
It is really important to establish a background color as that adds reflected light and keys the skintones. Greens enhance the pinks, blues, the oranges, lavender, the ochres and so on. A painting of a head is not a drawing with color added.
When you are painting a head, you at first have to simplify the forms and add detail later. At this point, I think your shadow areas are a bit too complex and need to be simplified. The eyes appear too bright. Squinting is a good method.
I realize that this is an unfinished piece, but you have to start really seeing the colors on the face even if you have to exaggerate. Look for subtle blues, does the nose appear pinker?
In my opinion a couple of afternoons studying a head in daylight, using your pastels on an inexpensive tinted paper like Canson Metientes will help you see the wonderful variations that make up skintones. Do lots. don't worry about making masterpieces. Your drawing is great, just concentrate on color, even if it is the old lady next door. Then you can take your knowledge and work from a photo shot with a good film like Portra NC 160.
Pastel is, in my opinion one of the most difficult mediums to master, escpecially vis-a-vis skintones. You cannot mix them.
Try doing some studies in oils.
I know this may seem like difficult advice, but if anyone is up to it, it is you.
|