A small portrait command... a technical exercise

[Sergio Ostroverhy]

The whole idea was how to transform a bad photo into a living person on the paper.

If it is successful then we can consider the art of the portrait as some kind of magic!

"Mon General", 40 x 30 cm, watercolor/paper. (This is not the whole picture, but a detail.)

[Sergio Ostroverhy]

The details:

[Sergio Ostroverhy]

The microscopic details, to see better the technique.

Attention! There was no black color here, but a mixture of ultramarine and burnt umber.

[Valerie Gudorf]

Sergio,

This is amazingly well done. As most artists know, watercolor is the most unruly of mediums. But you certainly know how to show watercolor who's boss! I love it. My guess is that you achieved this primarily through the use of multiple controlled glazes, allowing the painting to dry completely between layers. Am I right? I love the fidelity of your flesh tones, and what's more, I love the way the keen intelligence and unwavering confidence of "Mon General's" character shows through.

Like you, I've found that the use of black tube paint deadens any passage you're painting. As you've pointed out, mixtures of ultramarine blue and burnt umber produce any number of lovely, chromatic darks, and a very lively black. I'd love to see the complete image of this wonderful piece.

[Sergio Ostroverhy]

Thanks Thanks Thanks, There are not too much layers because as you know watercolor do not support more than 2 or three... in fact there is a very precise pencil drawing behind with some tonal analyses (that is a secret of the cold tones on the cheeks which gives the impression of a "just shaved face"). Then with the watercolor a very small but flat brush I erased the pencil by putting immediately the right tonality and color. Around 10 days of work.

[Valerie Gudorf]

Hi again, Sergio,

Everytime I look at "Mon Gereral", I like it more. I'm surprised however, to hear you say that watercolor only supports two or three layers or glazes. I have done watercolors with so many layers (glazes) that I have lost count. I know of many other watercolorists who work in a similiar manner, especially those desiring realistic renderings in bold, saturated color. I've not attempted a portrait in this manner as of yet, however, I do have a still life in progress in which I've employed this method. I will try to post it to illustrate what I mean, but my computer skills are still shaky at best.

Cynthia and Steven, please forgive me if it is forbidden to post any type of art other than a portrait. I would not otherwise do so, but I thought it might be acceptable to illustrate this one point.

[Sergio Ostroverhy]

Absolutely amazing! Still wondering how did you do that? Would be interesting to see the progression!

[Karin Wells]

Sergio, I would love to see how a WC painting progresses - layer by layer. Perhaps you would consider doing a demo for this Forum?

Meanwhile, for what it is worth, when I did watercolors I was able to paint a lot of layers without disturbing the ones underneath by substituting (cheap) gin for water - because it dries so fast.

I'm not kidding.

[Valerie Gudorf]

Thanks Sergio.

I believe the paper you use has a great effect on the outcome of multi-layered techniques. In the above instance, I used Lana Watercolor paper, though the best paper for this technique would probably be Arches. Arches has a hard surface which is sized substantially, both internally and externally. It holds up well under multiple layering, and takes lifting and scrubbing techniques without the surface becoming abraded. That said, I really have a love affair with Lana. Its surface is quite a bit softer than Arches, but I feel that I have better control over my edges with Lana. Its surface is somewhat more delicate and does not take scrubbing as well as Arches, but I love the feel of it beneath my brush and the colors stay wonderfully alive on its surface. In both cases, I prefer the 140lb (300gm/m2) weight to the heavier papers.

The type of pigments used for glazing also seem to greatly effect the outcome. Some are easily disturbed once you go back over them with another pass. Manganese blue is probably the worst culprit in this regard because, besides being a chalky opaque pigment, it lifts immediately when you attempt to lay another color on top of it. Most straining pigments on the other hand---ones with Winsor, Thalo, or permanent in front of their names, layer like a dream. I did a lot of playing around with the various pigments to learn how they behave under different circumstances. Of course, watercolor can never be completely predictable, but there are a few general rules that seem to hold true most of the time.

Do you find that the type of brush you use effects the result of your glazes? I find that kolinsky sable brushes allow me to control the release of pigment to paper better than any other. I also use a very light touch when applying the paint so as to disturb the underlying layers as little as possible. It all just seems to take practice. You soon learn what works and what doesn't.

I've set this painting aside for a while to concentrate on protraiture. When I get back to it, I may e-mail you a WIP photo. Thanks for your interest, Sergio. It didn't occur to me to do so with the above work. I wish it had, as I definitely understand that SOG is dedicated to the art of the portrait. It looks totally out of place here. Again Cynthia, I apologize.

[Valerie Gudorf]

Oh, and I agree with Karen, Sergio. It would be wonderful to see a series of work-in-progress photos of one of your watercolor portraits. I would like to have seen the pencil drawing you made as the underpinning to "Mon General", as well as photos of the subsequent watercolor glazes. You prove without a doubt, that a good drawing makes a firm foundation for any great portrait.

Is it possible for you to show us the entire painting of "Mon Gereral"? I would surely love see it.