The ASOC Portrait and Life Workgroup went back into the studio this week and boy weren't we all happy. Holly was the model - she's posed for us before.
We did a few 2 minute and 5 minute warm ups and then three long poses - but I pulled the plug early on the last pose as I always take so long to pack up and, due to COVID-19, we are spending a good piece of time cleaning up before the next Workgroup comes in.
Holly's back was the last pose of the day - above is the charcoal sketch I did before moving on to a quick gouache on pink coloured oil sketch paper. It's a bit rough but I'd like to do more work on this one.
I was happier with the two other long poses - both gouache on coloured oil sketch paper. I only used three colours, plus white, for these works (and of course some random stains from the old gouache already on the palette).
First a detail of the painting. For Holly's red hair, I love how the red/orange gouache scumbles over the darker paint layers underneath. There are also areas where brushed-on paint is given relief from the toothiness of the paper. This is a well known feature of using oil sketch paper but I also like another effect on these works, where the right mix of gouache and water makes the paint pool and bubble over the top of the acrylic gesso base on the sheet of paper.
The full work
Holly wearing a green towel on her head.
Here's the quick sketches. Great to be back in the studio making vivacious charcoal marks on the newsprint.