Portrait Challenge. Days One and Two

 

 Before I get started, I posted my second (and final I think) installment about the Southwest Quilt and Fiber Art Festival over at Southern Utah Fiber Artists blog.  I recently, after much trial and tribulation, resurrected it from the dead.  Here is the post in which Cathie Purdy is featured!

OK on with the show. 

On a whim... sigh... I decided to do a Creative Bug Daily Portrait Challenge with teacher Charlotte Hamilton.  I am enjoying it!  It is slightly humbling, but if I were a great drawer I would be teacher!  I am, in fact, not an awesome drawer and I feel it hold me back watercolor wise.  Art wise actually.  It effects everything and often keeps me from trying new things because I don't want to draw whatever it is.  So we shall see how much I improve over the course of 31 days.

Here is Day One.  A portrait of Frida Kahlo.  She broke down how to think about constructing the face as she drew it.  She did it in a few minutes and didn't erase.  That set me on edge because I love to erase.  I drew mine and it took OVER AN HOUR.  But it is nice. I erased the reference lines (which were very helpful) and I erased the hell out of her. Oh now that I'm looking at it I see I forgot to shade her ear.  Dang.  Anyhoo here we are!

Mine: 

 Reference photo:

 Day 2:

Reference photo.  If the lady in the reference photo (who is a friend of the artist) happens to see what I do to her beautiful visage, I beg her forgiveness. Truly. 

So the challenge is to draw her in 2 minutes.  That is zero time to think and you have to just get out of your head and let go.  ~laughs.  ~cringe.

I set a stop watch. 

 

The first one is in pencil. God help me.

 

Second 2 minute draw is in a red pencil.  Slightly better.  The pencil glided across the paper.  

 

Third two minute draw is in a marker.  It didn't slide across the paper.

OK that's it.  I will be posting them as I go.  Again, if you are this lovely lady, apologies.