bring your life to life

bring your life to life

A face revisited

When I posted my first face as part of the 29 Faces Challenge, a visitor suggested sketching the face again at the end of the challenge, I thought this was a good idea, and so I did.

Here is the original sketch:

Post 29 Faces challenge - the same face:

And here is the photo I used as a reference for my sketch:

Mike Scott

29 Faces Day 28

I've been decorating my moleskine diary/journal for part of the Documented Life Project. This is the front cover,  but it looked nothing like this earlier on today, it was a mass of stencilled designs with flower doodles, however, it just didn't feel right, so out came the gesso and after several more layers of reworking I opted for a face, seemed the easiest option. I never imagined that I would consider drawing a face an easy option, but after the 29 faces challenges I certainly have more confidence in this area, whether it be a whimsical style or a pencil sketch of a "real" person.

This particular girl was inspired by Suzi Blu, she has a very distinctive style in folk-art and sylized girl's faces, she's a little whacky too so I find watching her videos a little distracting at times, but she is very sweet and generous with her work.

I've not quite finished her dress but it needs to be pretty because I will be looking at it for the rest of the year!

29 Faces Day 27

Young Woman In A Blue Blouse

I couldn't resist another Matisse offering and today the young woman in a blue blouse gave me inspiration.  This ended up a bit of a mixed media affair - prismacolor and watercolours.

Working with a limited colour palette really simplifies things and helps takes the stress out of this challenge, and I notice how relaxed I am feeling after working with the colour blue.

Do you find working with a particular colour therapeutic?

I also ran her through a photo editor, added a blue tone and a water effect with a  blue frame, I quite like the dreamy quality it gives her.

29 Faces Day 26

Sid James

As a child, my favourite films were the Carry On films, a particular favourite of mine is Carry On Cab which I regularly watch on dvd. A favourite line from this film always makes me chuckle is by Sid in his character as Charlie Hawkins - "when you get to be a cab driver you cut yourself right off from the rest of the human race. Everybody's got it in for you and nobody loves you. In no time at all you find that you're about as popular as a wickerwork seat in a nudist camp, and you know what sort of impression that makes on people"

29 Faces Day 25

Yesterday class opened for Kelly Rae Roberts Hello Soul Mantras, a painting e-course.  I'm currently working through the first lesson which doesn't involve any painting yet, I'm currently working with some journal prompts which will help me to choose my Soul Mantra.

I have Kelly Rae Roberts book entitled Taking Flight and I dipped into that today to help me with this mixed media piece.

Step 1 - collage papers, music sheet and an old letter stuck down onto some chip-board (which had a layer of gesso applied)

 

Step 2 - pattern and colour by spraying ink onto a doily

Step 3 - outline the face and body with a charcoal pencil

Step 4 - colour in face and body, draw wings and apply embellishments.

I have decided to use this a Mothers Day gift and I collaged an old photograph of my Mum with me as a baby. It's not quite finished, just a few things to add and then it will be complete.

29 Faces Day 24

Simple pencil sketches inspired by a greetings card

29 Faces Day 22

It's interesting to note where inspiration comes from sometimes to assist in this challenge.  The face of this young girl came from the front page of The Guardian, she is a 17 year old student and has now become the face of the Guardian's campaign to help end the practice of female genital mutilation in Britian.
I was drawn to her very sweet face and the colourful headscarf  she was wearing which is far more vibrant and detailed than what I have chosen to draw.

I liked her simple message, she said "I want to help these girls who don't have a voice"

If you are interested in reading more about this campaign, please visit www.change.org/endfgmhttps://www.change.org/petitions/educationgovuk-tell-schools-to-teach-risks-of-female-genital-mutilation-before-the-summer-endfgm