I am in the process of sketching out this beautiful girls portrait and I hope to have started it tomorrow to show you all. Her frame is due in tomorrow and my client has requested something not shown on the website. I work with a fantastic framers based in Exeter and they will always try and source frames if they don’t stock them I can’t recommend them enough. I have been using them for over 10 years now. Faultless service they provide.
I actually managed to get started on Megs portrait yesterday, but didn’t update my blog. I have started blocking in the under layer and mapping out where the highlights and shadows go. She is a tri colour and has pale tan spots and socks on her legs and she will be lying in some in the portrait.
This is the reference photo. I did two crops, one landscape and one portrait, but my client opted for the portrait version.
Here is the first stage of blocking in. I have used a black for the darkest shadows and indigo for the for where the lighter parts will be going. I will be going over the indigo with a paynes grey and a cool greys later to pick out the fur details.
I have also started filling in the chest area, it may look white, but I have used a very light cool grey and will be picking out the fur details with white and a slightly darker grey later. This stage is just pretty much mapping out where things will go and making sure that all the proportions are correct. Sometimes they still need to be adjusted as the portrait progresses. It is a constant process of tweaking and re-tweaking.
I have mad a return to Meg today. Not a long session, but she will be the main focus tomorrow for me, along with a watercolour cat portrait I have to do. I was hoping to get to Daisy the cat tonight, but I think I am defeated at nearly 8pm! I have been working since 9.30am with only a quick break for lunch and to walk the dogs!
I have laid done the base colour for the grass around Meg and continued blocking in the colours on Meg, starting also to pay attention to some of the detail in her portrait. Tomorrow, I should be able to get cracking on the details and hopefully get 80-90% finished all being well. I have attached another progress shot of her portrait for you to see. I will be doing a blog on Daisy too.