Baby Sleeping....In Graphite

[Geary Wootten]

Ok...so....it's been a little more than a "day or so"....I've been a busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers! I'm trying to start 8 different pieces at once plus running a sign shop! To add to the wonderful madness..... I've been doing a "low tech" video of this piece. I'm trying my hand at creating an instructional video CD, using just MPEGS and JPEGS. (What's wrong with me?!

In this session I've spent more time just putting in hints of the background of the couch. Don't know about you all but I'm not interested in spending four times the work on what's in back of the subject.

The way I've acheieved this is to pull out shapes by daubing the graphite with a kneaded eraser and BluTack poster putty.

So far, I've got about 8 hours in this one. I'm 90% finished.

-Geary

[Patricia Joyce]

Really like this one with the background less intense putting more emphasis on this sweet face!! Beautiful! BTW what is blue tack and how is it different?

[Geary Wootten]

Hi Pat!

Glad you like this.

Blu Tack by Bostik....is a bit stiffer and can be manipulated to "pointier" shapes than any of the other poster putty I can get here in the States. Although I incorporate ALL of the poster puttys and erasers that are know to man....I've never been able to purchase BluTack here....so I order it from Mike Sibley, a well known UK animal artist who offers it online. I ordered some the other week...it arrived in 5 days from my purchase. Great guy..... check it out - http://www.sibleyfineart.com/

-Geary

[Patricia Joyce]

The wonder of it all! I'm going to order some now. I get so frustrated with the kneaded erasure.
Thanks!

[Geary Wootten]

At this stage I'm almost finished with the piece. I've decided to do the fist as well. Although it's going to suffer some serious cropping of the little finger....I just wanted to render it anyhow.

I've also just laid down the tonality of the blanket and shirt at this point.

The close up shows the fingers just after a process I call "caramelizing" layers on. I call it that because it's like the way caramel candy looks as more and more heat is applied. In this case the "heat" is using an HB and 2H (rounded over) to apply layers on the chamoised and tissue-buffed underlay of soft graphite. These applied layers are also buffed with clean stumps. I'll put as many as 5 or 6 layers on this way. These fingers are within a layer of being finished.

-Geary

[Mike McCarty]

What a great piece.

Having now decided to render the hand, your challenge will be not to allow it to compete with that soft little face. I understand that you have more to add to the hand.

In my opinion, I would greatly reduce the sharpness, reduce the highlights, and try and give the hand a much more subordinated role. The finger touching the side doesn't bother me that much.

I would also add that the image just previous had a wonderful sense of the abstract in your background and peripheral treatment. I hate to see that replaced with a completely literal treatment.

[Patricia Joyce]

Geary,
Did you say earlier that you apply graphite to the chamois or tissue and then rub them on the paper? If so, what kind of graphite do you use? Do you buy is already ground or do you grind the graphite yourself?

This drawing process is very interesting to be watching. I'm enjoyed this work in process.

[Jean Kelly]

Geary, this is the way babies should be drawn, I can almost smell that "baby" aroma. I agree with Mike about the fist. This is an execellent example of the proper use of value.

Jean

[Geary Wootten]

Mike: Thank you so much for the keen eye. Yes, I will be reducing the dynamics a bit on the fist.....as well as the background. Your sharp observation is greatly appreciated.

By the way, Mike, I'm still not in posession of the D70. This little Coolpix 3200 I picked up for a quickie "vacation and snaps" mode has kept me very satisfied. I took just 5 reference shots of this guy in my daughter's home with a single very warm low watt bulb on him. I'll have to show you a couple of the color shots from this over in your photo section.

Pat: On the graphite rub, I apply three different ways. On the initial tonal establishment, I draw with the chamois and stumps using either a graphite "farm" over on the side piece of scrap paper that has been applied with 8 or 9B graphite stick....or by dipping into a pre-ground powder. The latter is reserved for laying down very dark areas usually later in the drawing.

Jean: Yes, that is the target value for sure. Thanks for looking.....and "smelling"

-Gear

[Denise Hall]

Thank you for posting a beautiful drawing with some of the most beautifully rendered baby hair I've ever seen . You really know your materials - and it has such a fresh appearance.

Yes, please keep us updated! So glad you are doing well after your heart attack.

Denise