One Lazy Friday...

Isabel Chiang · 06-28-2005, 07:01 AM

Another loose drawing before I start the pastel. The thought of trying a pastel portrait still makes me nervous...

The model is still Stef, my friend from college.

10" x 14"
Graphite and Nero pencils on Stonehenge paper.

Lisa Ober · 06-28-2005, 07:47 AM

Isabel,

Well there you go again. I am amazed what you can do on 10 X 14! How do you get that detail? She looks like someone famous but I can't place it at the moment. You have done a marvelous job on the hands. Really nice. I never could do that "unfinished" thing at the bottom and pull it off but you certainly have......and will great style. I STRONGLY encourage you to get going on those pastels. You are going to be a star with them. I can't wait to see what you do! No need for nerves. Kneaded erasers are cheap.

By the way, I really love your insanely detailed pieces but this looser and quicker feel you have done lately is spectacular. You are on to something. Keep up the great work.

Patricia Joyce · 06-28-2005, 08:41 AM

Beautiful Isabel! Can we see some closeups of the face, please?!

Isabel Chiang · 06-28-2005, 10:35 AM

Lisa, Thank you for the kind words. I usually put a lot more subtle details in my tight ones, so this piece isn't really that detailed.I tried to omit some of them. To me, It's a real challenge to decide what I should include in the drawing and what I should omit since I've always been a detail geek.

I'm glad you like it. Really enjoy drawing looser, it's very relaxing. I probably won't be doing tight drawings for a while. Because they take so long (between 50-300 hours), graphite is a painstakingly slow medium. I'm saving the tight style for more conceptual kind of work. Hundreds of hours should be spent with more planning. In Sept, I'll have the opportunity to do a big collabrative project with my mentor, Mr. Armin Mersmann http://arminmersmann.artroof.com/ . I'm saving my time and energy for that

. Right now, I just want to experiment with different styles and medium.

Ah, thanks for the encouragement, after seeing your wonderful pastel painting I feel soooooooo inspired! You have opened up my eyes. Now I know what kind of magic these chalks can do. I know what I should be striving for

Pat, Thanks a lot! Sure I can post a close up. Sorry the original photo isn't very good, so I posted a WIP pic I took when I nearly finished her face.The attachment is approx the same size as the actual drawing. BTW I received Anthony Ryder's book last friday, it's so cool! I can't stop reading it.

Jimmie Arroyo · 06-28-2005, 12:54 PM

Another beautiful fresh piece. You're a natural. As long as you have a good sense of color, you should have no problem with the pastels. My troubles with pastels are all about color, not application, even tho the last piece I did, I lost the tooth of the paper. (you did'nt hear that from me) I feel I work better when I don't think about it too much, once I start thinking, I struggle. Get ready to spend a ton-o-money. The last two cash awards went straight to Dakota Pastels for two sets.

So how are you liking the Stonehenge, I think I remember you using another brand of hot-press board before 'Stef'? Have you tried the Fawn color yet, one side is a touch lighter than the other? I believe the lighter side is smoother, but I enjoy the darker side more. Another question being that you use the mechanicals, do they scrape into the paper? I don't always sharpen my pencils for that reason, and I have a fairly light touch.

Anyhoo, looking forward to the pastels, good luck but I bet you won't need it.

Linda Brandon · 06-28-2005, 08:52 PM

A wonderful piece, Isabel! I especially like the pose - the hands in particular give a strength and energy to this (seemingly) self-confidant young woman.

Isabel Chiang · 07-10-2005, 01:03 PM

Thank you Jimmie and Linda !

Sorry, I've been away ...

Jimmie I really like stonehenge for this kind of drawing. It works great with colored pencils too. Right, I use Arches Hotpress and mechanical pencils for tight drawings Not loose drawings. Because I blend graphite with stumps to achieve the smooth texture, the paper surface has to be very smooth. And no , mechanical pencil doesn't scrape the paper since I always blend the first layer of graphite (apply with light pressure), it actually protects the paper. It gives me more control over small details. As for my loose drawing, I use regular pencils because the lines from a Mech pencil are too thin and too even.