A thread of my weekly faces.

Debra Jones · 10-11-2005, 01:20 AM

I decided on Saturday that with the opportunity I am going to try to hit at least one of the two portrait studios at the school. I made it to this evenings studio and I am enjoying causing a stir.

I have a jar of Studio Products wax medium. It has a really nifty ability to hold good strong strokes while staying transparent. I can glaze as I go and the multitudes are curious. Apparently I am getting a glow.

This is Athena, she is 16x12. I underpainted a yellow ocher and wiped most of it back. Then painted on top of the light.

Lacey Lewis · 10-11-2005, 08:25 AM

I love the colors and the expression!

So, is the idea that you will add a new pic in this thread every week? If so, I look forward to seeing more! Thanks you for sharing.

Allan Rahbek · 10-11-2005, 02:11 PM

Dear Debra,

Did you crop it or are you just that driven in composing? Your drive is so inspiring.

Using the wax medium seem like a good idea. I have sometimes used a homemade wax medium that allowed me to paint thickly using both the knife and brush making transparent strokes.
The good thing is that wax is not expected to darken over time and it will prevent the paint to crack too.

Please keep on posting.

Allan

Carol Norton · 10-11-2005, 04:33 PM

Oh, wow, Debra! That painting is just beautiful. Wax medium by Studio Products??? I think I'll order some. Do you mix it with your paints as you would Neo Megilp or Maroge?

Debra Jones · 10-12-2005, 12:18 AM

Carol??? Do I know you? Your avatar looks VERY familiar!

I use one of the sample wax mediums Rob made a few months ago at studio products. I have yet to try to make my own, but having had it quite a while I was amazed to see how it handled! I don't really use it with the knife but I enjoy the thin film it allows me, especially for the 2 hour sessions that I can wipe with a towel in turps gently and let the pure white of the canvas reflect through it. Because it has very little oil, I don't have the butter on butter I get when I keep throwing stuff on from the tube. When I use it opaquely it handles just like my marogers. That is, it gets thin enough to handle but lays on top of the layer below, not sllide or trench it out. Thixotropic I believe it is, that it stays liquid when you need it liquid and stops where you put it.

Allan, um, This is one of my less tight compositions. I was known as the headless... well top of the headless, portrait painters for a while. I was in the last row at the studio and had massive eye strain from a bad night on the internet for this one.

I AM driven. That is not a hard one to answer.

Patricia Joyce · 10-12-2005, 08:45 AM

Debra,
This is beautiful. I just love the color and the freshness. I have been enjoying your work immensely.

Debra Jones · 10-17-2005, 10:38 PM

I am having some political problems with my beloved open studio and as life generally has it, the week after trying to keep my own word to myself and post a live portrait at least one a week, I came home.

With nobody to volunteer and lots of rain outside, I set myself up at my easel and decided one NEVER has to say there were NO live bodies. So this is real time.
It is 7:30. I started with a charcoal tonal sketch, fixed it, shot it. Then worked on my darks or shadows. Shot it.
I am going to work until the model needs a break and will keep posting as I go.

Politics may be nothing compared to actually having to LOOK at myself tonight while I try to paint me!

Here we go:

Debra Jones · 10-17-2005, 11:59 PM

Suspense was killin' ya, huh?

Well the computer crashed and I couldn't load the first color one, so I worked and ended up with two.

IF I were in studio I would only have half an hour more.
My model is getting grumpy, however.

Debra Jones · 10-18-2005, 12:37 AM

officially, this is pretty close to three hours, but she is working overtime. I am about to break out my Pre-Raphaelite medium for the gray and see if it is all it is cracked up to be.

I haven't done detail in the eyes so hair and eyes will be all that is left.

Whole thing in flat brushes, 6 and 8 but that is no indication.

Debra Jones · 10-18-2005, 01:09 AM

okay.
17 x 13 or so.

Yes, the medium helped keep the white clean in the dark, but I will admit I was rushing.

So, here I am as a bad day model. The hair is aways like this.