Portraits of Older Children: Week 6
July 20, 2022
Charcoal and pastel pencil by Jo
Note the simple treatment of the hands
In this final week, after reviewing the work it would be good to finish any outstanding projects, complete last week’s portrait or start a new portrait with more than head and shoulders.
Charcoal and pastel pencil by Jo
Here the hands have been very freely sketched in. I am still deciding whether to work further on them or leave them suggesting movement. I may add a few more of the magnetic building blocks in the foreground instead.
You may like to work a portrait of a child engaged with a particular activity or in costume for a school play. If so aim to include some relevant objects. We haven’t talked much about backgrounds but look how effective it is to use the background colour and tone as part of the composition as in Toby at 9.
If you attempt a full length portrait you may like to work at a larger scale.
With the standing figure remember that the neck is always directly above the foot which is bearing most of the weight and central if the load is being equally shared by both feet. It can be useful to use a grid as last week or especially in the case of a standing figure drop a vertical on your reference and your support and measure heights and widths from that.
Your Paintings:
by Vivienne
Oil by Virginia