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So after all the talk about Fairy Mommy, this is one of the things I love to do and a bit about how I do it…
I mostly do portraits and illustrations of children and because they NEVER sit still, I’m forced to work from photographs even though I prefer working from life.
I start by looking at the photo and then doing a freehand sketch of the image. I then refine the sketch with a more detailed contour line drawing over top. Often on the edges I scribble song lyrics that I hear while I am drawing. I often fall so in love with this initial constructing sketch that I have a hard time continuing – it feels so beautifully simple and architectural. Shown above…
Then if you have been trained in drawing or painting you know you are supposed to do a light and general layer of color or shading over the entire image and then work up in entire layers.
I have always been completely unable to do this! Once in awhile I inexplicably succeed in correctly building up my image. Most often I fall in love with and obsess over something such as the red shoe and steer away from wastelands where I feel bored or lost such as the jeans. Sometimes this way of working produces brilliant little treasures in the work and sometimes it results in chaos…
I don’t do as many planning sketches as my art teachers trained me to. Again sometimes this results in chaos but mostly it frees me to create in the moment, find what is important right then and try to bring it to life.I sketch all the time, not planning though, just while I am out in nature noticing little beauties that I may turn into designs.
This time my process produced one of my favorite paintings ever of my red loving, ever dreaming little boy! Below is the photo I took and referenced. I used it for proportions and value but took lots of liberty in expressing what I know about my little man. Working from a photo can be a wonderful tool instead of a prison, when you breath the same life into it as you would if your model was in front of you…
What is uniquely you about your creative process?
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Stephanie Bloomer - Love it! I need to loosen up some. I obsess when it comes to portraiture, but like you, I skip steps that I was taught to take. Lately I have been having a harder time just enjoying the process, but I think that it may be a combination of hormones in my late pregnancy and also from not sketching enough. I really need to remember to take my sketchbook with me everywhere like I used to. I agree about the benefits of working from life, those are the experiences I learn most from and it is fun because you can be more expressive with it, rather than having a photo. Working from a photo is difficult because you feel trapped into being more exact. Thanks for your blog! I am inspired, and I will be bringing my sketchbook to the hospital with me tonight when I go in to be induced.
Sharon - Yay! excited for you Steph 🙂 sketching your little baby sleeping will be so fun, but don’t worry if you are too wiped out to do too much sketching…
I always am more creative when I am pregnant but by the end it gets to too hard to sit upright and I end up laying around and reading instead of drawing
lisa leonard - this is so so so beautiful. do you take commissions? xo
Sharon - thanks so much Lisa – I love your amazing work! I do take commissions – got somethin in mind? thanks for stoppin by 🙂
Laura - Wow! This is amazing!!! What a talent you have!!! I saw your post on KC’s blog and it brought me to yours.