Watercolor portrait

[Mark Stefanowicz]

This is a watercolor portrait I did a couple of months ago. I am an illustrator switching over to Portrait. I mostly work in oils but watercolor for me is a release.

[Mark Stefanowicz]

Hello...Any takers...Serious artist here looking to hear what people think, critique's definetly welcomed, scrutinize, badger, etc...? -Mark

[Scott Bartner]

Hello Mark:

I've seen your site and like your work very much. Did you really do those portraits in one hour? Well done.

I am aware how difficult watercolor is. In fact I believe it to be more difficult than oil painting. I see a few things in your watercolor portrait that perhaps lend itself more to "illustration." For example, the edges outlining the figure are very sharp. The fact that the background is white further accentuates this. The hairline, neck contour , beard and eyebrows also have very sharp edges. Shadows like the one under the lower lip have sharp edges with little nuance in tone or gradation. While the values of some of the shadows might be more or less correct, they seem encapsulated giving the portrait a stylized quality, a quality found in an illustration. Your oils and drawings don't have this.

A devilishly good watercolorist is Paul McCormack. Have a look at his site. He's also on the ARC site.

[Mark Stefanowicz]

Scott, thank you very much! I feel that illustrator coming out all the time. Sometimes I feel like pushing him in the the closet forever. I am trying to get my edges, beards, etc... softer. Especially in my oils. It is kind of a hard transition going from oils to watercolor. I feel tight when I am watercoloring, like I am going to burst with tension. But it is relaxing like I said. Before this portrait the last time I traditionally painted was a year before that. I have been doing the digital thing for quite sometime now. I really do appreciate your comments and checked out that guys site. Great stuff. Again thanks. -Mark