Grandma Wyn, Pastel Pencil on Strathmore Paper
Size 40cm x 30cm (mount size 50cm x 40cm)
When drawing from a photograph, it's easy to get bogged down in the detail. If you know the person you are drawing it can make it far easier to portray the personality rather than an array of wrinkles and blemishes.
This is my husband's Grandmother. She turned 100 last year, but I've never known anyone so happy and she's so full of life! This lady really is so much fun! I hope I caught the mischief in her eyes.
Some areas of a portrait I will copy faithfully, other parts, such as wrinkles and blemishes will generally be downplayed. This is not to flatter the subject - but because I am capturing a likeness, not drawing a map. The texture of the skin can usually be hinted at without even referring to individual lines. This impressionist approach takes practice, but I love to capture something in as few strokes as possible - if nothing else, it adds a freshness and vibrancy.
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