Sarah

Mary Sparrow · 03-08-2005, 03:34 PM

I seem to be doing a lot of these lately. I don't know if I'll be able to paint the next commission in oil!

Sarah on la carte. The color seems a bit dark to me on my monitor.

John Reidy · 03-08-2005, 05:25 PM

Mary,

You have a nice touch. Very nice. Way to go, Tarheel.

Julie Deane · 03-09-2005, 11:55 AM

Nice job, Mary. That little girl looks like she might be quite a character.

I know what you mean - there's that fear of getting practice in only one medium...but it's such a pleasant medium!

David Draime · 03-09-2005, 01:43 PM

Beautiful job!! I love how you handled the hair.

I started a pastel on a LaCarte last night. Immediately got a spot of water on it! That was that - I love the colors they offer, but....seems fragile.

Mary Sparrow · 03-09-2005, 01:58 PM

Thank you John, Julie, and David.

David, I love everything about that La Carte - the colors are great for these little vignettes. But you are right, it is way too fragile . I have on more than one occasion gotten close to the end and something happened to the finish

. I wish I could find a paper that offered the same texture and color but didn't get ruined so easily.

I'm sure the one you got water on can be salvaged if you do something as gorgeous as the last one with plenty of background to cover the accident. Of course I am assuming it was just a little water.

Jimmie Arroyo · 03-09-2005, 08:28 PM

Great job on such a cute little girl. Just wondering, did you include some of your new Doaks on this one?

Mary Sparrow · 03-09-2005, 08:48 PM

Thanks Jimmie

Yes, I used a bit of everything on that one, but this one of my niece Sara was just about all Doaks, with the exception of some of the browns in her hair.

Jimmie Arroyo · 03-09-2005, 09:20 PM

I must have missed the one of your niece before, it's adorable! I've never used the LaCarte paper, but it must have a good amount of tooth to do most of it in Doaks. I would be way too nervous to use Doaks or Unisons early in a portrait. I leave them towards the end layered on Rembrandts or Giraults.

I use Wallis which is very rough, and I think I don't like using the softer ones either early, for fear that they'll grind away. I'm afraid of everything, I'm a baby.

Mary Sparrow · 03-09-2005, 09:30 PM

No, you didn't miss her, I didn't post it.

The la carte has alot of tooth and holds a ton of pastel. I have some wallis and I like it for some things, but I feel like that stuff EATS my pastels. Lisa Ober just talked me into trying the ampersand pastelbord. The fed ex man just dropped it off and I have a feeling I am going to LOVE it. It is a hard panel with a sanded surface that feels really durable, I can't wait to try it.

Heidi Maiers · 03-09-2005, 10:55 PM

Wow Mary,
These are terrific! You can sure see a family resemblance - especially in that coy little smile.