Charcoal Portrait of Julie

Jonathan Hardesty · 09-27-2006, 02:40 PM

Hi Everyone,
I have not been posting on here as much as I need to be. So since I had this picture on my computer I figured I would post it. I am in the middle of doing a whole bunch of painted portraits right now but I need something like this with instant gratification. Because the models have to come in on multiple sessions in order for me to complete a painting I get tired of waiting for a finished product. So I have recently decided to do these charcoal sketches as a way to practice my drawing skills and also feel a sense of accomplishment in one sitting.

I accidentally put the drawing paper on backwards when I did this so that contributes to the scratchy look of everything. Was interesting to draw on the wrong side but I don't think I'll do it again hehe. I am going to do a bunch of these I think. They really help my drawing skills and using charcoal, for me, is almost like painting without the color.

Molly Sherrick Phifer · 09-27-2006, 05:13 PM

Jonathan,

This is really lovely! What size is it and what type of paper are you using? Also, about how long are you taking to do this? It looks like you have done this from life. Is that right?

Please post more!

Enzie Shahmiri · 09-27-2006, 06:04 PM

Jonathan,

I love her strong shadows and the way she looks at the viewer. Love to see more....

Jonathan Hardesty · 09-27-2006, 07:15 PM

Molly Sherrick Phifer - Thanks for your kind words. It's just under life size and I think it's somewhere around 16 x 20 size. That's a really rough estimate...but around that size. The paper I am using is a pale blue canson mi-tientes...normally I use the front side heheh. This took about 4 hours but I should have been able to do it in 2 hours. I ran into some problems with the likeness that I had to figure out. But it was about 4 hours. It was from life as well. I haven't ever done anything from a photographic before but I think it would probably take me longer than doing it from life at this point.

Enzie Shahmiri - Thanks! I will definitely post up some more when I can. I'm always a sucker for having the model look straight at me...It's an easy way to draw the viewer eyes.

___________________

EDIT: My wife just walked in the room and said I had to tell all of you that this "looks much better in person". She's Italian... I do what I'm told.

Claudemir Bonfim · 09-27-2006, 08:28 PM

Very nice job!

Sharon Knettell · 09-27-2006, 08:46 PM

Jonathan.

LOVELY!

I dither over my painting concepts which has resulted in lots of charcoal drawings. Paintings take SO long to do, especially when you are dealing with live models, it is nice to relax and actually turn out a piece in a session or two.

Alexandra Tyng · 09-27-2006, 08:50 PM

Jonathan,

This is such a wonderful drawing in so many ways: the varying of strokes, the expression you've caught, the way you've turned the paper and placed her head and the little bit of chair back on it. There's so much rich texture, too. I think the scratchy paper adds to it.

Steven Sweeney · 09-28-2006, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Hardesty

I accidentally put the drawing paper on backwards when I did this so that contributes to the scratchy look of everything. Was interesting to draw on the wrong side but I don't think I'll do it again.

Jonathan,

Not to worry, there isn't a "right" or "wrong" side. You use the side that works for you. I was taught to use the smooth (or "wrong") side of Canson paper, though I suppose that had to do with the level of finish that was required of us on so-called long poses -- that is, perhaps it was thought that you retained more control on a less "toothy" surface. (The long pose in my "Nudes with Values" post was done on the "wrong" side of the paper. If you get blocked by the password request in clicking that link, the password is "critique" [without the quotation marks].)

However, if memory serves (and more and more, it doesn't), I believe that when Daniel Greene did a pastel demonstration during one of his workshops, he made a point of mentioning that he also used the smooth side of the paper. Though it seems counterintuitive, he said that his experience was that the smooth side would hold more pastel and take more working without breaking down. (Once you work and re-work a toothed surface, the tooth breaks down and the area looks discouragingly different from the surrounding area, which call upon some more sophisticated techniques to "fix.")

For quicker, less "finished" sketches using softer charcoals, I'd likely go for the side with more tooth, as the effect would probably be more in keeping with the intent. It's all about what you're after, and you'll sort out the methodology simply by experimenting.

Jonathan Hardesty · 10-05-2006, 06:17 PM

Claudemir Bonfim - Thanks!

Sharon Knettell - I couldn't agree more. I was looking in this book of sargent charcoal portraits and it said that over this particular period of time (can't remember how long) he completed somewhere around 20 portrait paintings. But it also said that during that time he completed over 500 of those charcoal drawings. Amazing. And it said he did most of them in 2 hours. So that inspired me to try doing it.

Alexandra Tyng - Thanks so much for your kind words. Maybe I will work with that paper texture again at another point. The scratchiness is refreshing in a way. It's just annoying to work on during the process hehe.

Steven Sweeney - Thanks for posting that information! That's awesome. I do get the feeling that the smooth side holds more charcoal. I felt like I couldn't put enough down on the toothy side. It definitely seems counterintuitive but I think that Daniel Greene is right. You are absolutely right that it's a matter of effect though. That's a really good point. The side of the paper only accomplishes different things. It's like post modern drawing...there's no right or wrong!

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Well I have been experimenting a lot lately. I am trying to be courageous with brush strokes and paint application. I'm always trying to hone my drawing skills (who isn't right?). But at any rate this is another quick self portrait that I did. This was about 3-3.5 hours. I really tried to move fast on this and I focused mainly on brushwork.

Is there any resources that anyone can point to on how to approach skin tones. I went to the museum on tuesday and spent hours staring at a ton of paintings trying to figure out what makes successful skin tones and what doesn't. So difficult. But anyway's here's the painting: