Finished portraits and thoughts on the new term

I have been fiddling on and off with this for a little while but it is now finished, and although far from perfect I am quite pleased as it is my first colour pencil portrait (or colour pencil anything really)

approx A4 on pastel paper

I have also recently finished a memorial picture in graphite pencils on watercolour paper

I have continued with the portrait experiments and once again using my grand-daughter Leah as the model have completed another pastel

Although I feel my technical skills with this medium are advancing I am not totally happy with this one. I'm not really sure why, but it seems to have an oldy worldy children's story look about it and I don't feel it captures Leah's true character. I am not a lover of full colour work and am much happier with monochrome or limited palettes, but I don't think this is totally the problem. so I have put this away for now and started another, same subject but different medium and a pose that is much more appropriate to Leah's true character.




This one is being worked in colour pencil, a medium that I have dabbled with on and off but never really got to grips with. Instead of using the popular (coloured pencil artists books ) instruction, that I normally try to do, this time I have just gone straight in using the same methods I use for my graphite work and so far it seems to be looking ok. Still some work to do, but here is where I am at...

The pic is a little washed out as I have scanned it instead of photographing.

But this is certainly the Leah that I know and love, whereas the one above seems a little alien somehow.

I am also working a background of sorts (just an illusion of foliage in the same colours) to avoid the 'floating head' syndrome, but with all that hair it probably would not be a problem anyhow.

I think my time spent at Uni is now kicking in somewhat and I am much more critical about my own work and before I offer portraits as commissions I really want to find an angle, a slightly different perspective than a straight forward portrait.