Portrait Drawing

Mari DeRuntz · 07-06-2006, 10:18 PM

A. Portrait Sketch
18 x 24
Charcoal heightened with chalk on large sheet of studies.
Sheet of drawings meant to explore posing the head.
Not sight-size.

This is the sort of study I do when I go into a session knowing I have only two 2.5 hour sessions with a model. I move faster than I'd like: by that I mean that I go into modelling small forms without being absolutely sure about the big forms, and so, any charm is only on the surface.

In "real" work (an extended drawing) I'd always rather balance the truth of the structure with the charm of the surface.

Alexandra Tyng · 07-06-2006, 11:27 PM

Beautiful, Mari! I understand this is relatively quick, but I admire how you've indicated the substance and the forms of the face, neck and hair. I also like how you have varied the spacing and direction of your strokes to show planes and curves. I'm just starting to draw on colored paper so I'm really glad you posted this.

Enzie Shahmiri · 07-06-2006, 11:33 PM

Absolutely beautiful!

Terri Ficenec · 07-07-2006, 12:15 AM

Just lovely Mari!

Marina Dieul · 07-07-2006, 09:34 AM

Very nice drawing.
I always loved drawings on colored paper, and yours is beautiful.
Could we see the whole sheet, please? I'm interested to know how many time did you spent on each study, too.
It's a fantastic idea, I think I will borrow it for my open studio...

Mari DeRuntz · 07-07-2006, 09:49 AM

Thank you all for such nice comments - I love toned paper as well. In fact.... a long post on toning your own paper is in the works.

There are almost as many ways to tone your own paper as their are artistic minds - shellac, as Rob Liberace speaks of, hide glue tinted with water-based media, raw pigment, even smudged charcoal pushed into the paper with paper towel.

Right now we've got an 8-foot by 15-foot mural "old master copy" in the works of a section of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, and we're experimenting with all kinds of toning methods for the paper for the cartoon study. It's tremendously interesting, and the challenge for all of us is to keep this fascination a utilitarian passion - always to enable the work, never to steal time from the work

The sheet is being used as reference up at our natural light studio - I have the model back for an extended portrait session, and I spread out all of my old drawings of her to help me pick the pose/composition of what will eventually turn into a portrait grisaille.

If I don't remember to post that particular sheet, I'm working on a post that shows piles of small model studies, and a description of how I use them, how they helped all of us grow visually....

Mary Jane Ansell · 07-07-2006, 10:39 AM

Hi Mari

As others have said - thanks for posting up such a beautiful piece of work. I'm very much looking forward to seeing your follow up posts on toned paper (I've literally just got back in from buying some infact so particularly interested to try toning my own) and small model studies....

Your work is just exquisite.

Claudemir Bonfim · 07-07-2006, 03:59 PM

Hi Mari,

I second everybody here. What a beautiful drawing ( I like necks) and what a nice toned paper.
Looking forward to seem more of it.

Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco · 07-07-2006, 06:41 PM

Mari, I like not only the drawing, but the casualness of the other head in the upper left corner, that gives to this work its character of study.
Very nice
Ilaria

Sharon Knettell · 07-07-2006, 10:28 PM

Mari,

This just beautiful, that gorgeous long neck.

I love toned paper, I am a paper junkie. When I had a big sale two years ago I called NY Central Art and Twin Rocker and stocked up with every color imaginable, only pigmented, not dyed paper though.

What paper did you use for this drawing?