About 6 hours to complete.

Step I: The Muck Up Stage
At this stage I blocked in some colors for placement of features and color harmony after doing a sketch. (Click on each image to view them at a bigger size.)

Step 2: Blending Stage

At this stage I blended a little the colors placed in step 1, especially on the face since the custom brush I used requires many layers of paint. To blend, I used a stump.

Step 3: Face and Eyes

At this stage I was concentrated on the face, adding bright colors to it without any blending, just mixing with the same custom brush. I created this brush with some impasto, just enough to look natural and let me apply paint over paint while blending at the same time when I apply little pressure to my stylus. When I press harder, the impasto relief is stronger and the paint more opaque. When I apply little pressure, this brush allows me to mix the paint on the canvas with some transparency. Also added some details to the eyes.

Step 4: Hand

At this stage, I was concentrated on her hands and arms applying paint in the same manner as I did for the face, but with less blending since I want the face to be the focal point.

Step 4a: Comparison Stage

I closely compared my painting with the source image. I always work with both images next to each other as to avoid having to print the source. I have a 21 inch monitor so I can place both images next to each other and keep working just hiding the palettes.

Photograph courtesy of Barb Kermis

Step 5: Background and Chair

In this step I worked on the background so that it would work with the subject. Also worked on the chair a little. I am not going to work too much on the chair since I want the baby’s face to be the focal point.

Step 6: Reshaping the Face

In this step, I was concentrated on the face reshaping her features to achieve likeliness. I blended a little then added more paint.

Step 7: The Hair

In this step I worked the hair adding several tones and/or colors.

Step 8: The Eyes and the Chair

Here I worked on the eyes and the chair. I added some shadows to the chair so that it wouldn’t look so flat but at the same time not too detailed since it is not the focal point.

Step 9: The Nose, Chin, and Shirt

I worked the nose, chin, and shirt and signed the painting to force me to stop.

Face Close Up Shot:

Face Detail Shot:

Hair Detail Shot:

Hand Detail Shot:

I hope that you have enjoyed this demonstration. Feel free to post your comments.

All images are Copyrighted © 2005 Janet M Garcia.  All rights reserved.

About 7 hours to complete.

Step I: Sketch Comparison

I made a sketch to compare with the painting she started and superimposed it over her painting to check feature placements. It was important to me to make sure all features were in the right place before I started to add paint to it.

Step 2: Blocking in Basic Colors

Next, I blocked in some basic colors following the contours as if I were sculpting the portrait. I used a brush that I created based on one of the acrylics, but I added softness and some impasto as to cover quickly the surface since the brush I’ll use later on requires of many layers of paint to achieve the look and texture I want.

Step 3: The Bandanna and the Shirt

Here I added basic tones to the bandanna and her shirt, as well as adding paint to the shadow areas paying attention to color temperature.

Step 4: Filling the Background

Next, I painted the background and hair loosely.

Step 5: Experimenting with the Background

I continue on the background trying different color combination until I arrived to the tones and color that I believed enhanced the subject. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 6: Blending

After I blocked in the background colors (with some impasto – the same brush I am using to block in colors on the face), I then started to blend the colors only where two colors met. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 7: The Face

Once I finished with the background, I continued to add colorful paint on the face. This time, I used my other custom brush (the one that requires many layers of paint). Notice that for this tutorial, I left the sketch on a layer on top as a guide. Later this was deleted. I decided to leave this sketch up to this step so that my friend (and anyone else viewing this) get the idea on how/where I place the different colors. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 8: Molding the Features

The sketch was deleted. Once I had a considerable amount of paint, I blended the colors on the face and neck for the first time, molding the subject’s features. To blend, I used a stump. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 9: Adding Color to Strategic Areas

I continued adding more paint including the eyes. These colors were placed in strategic places as to enhance her features. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 10: Blending while Preserving the Impasto Look

Here, I blended the colors again softly as to preserve the impasto stokes. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 11: Skin Tones

I then added dark skin tones to the areas in shadow and added complimentary colors. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 12: Adding Saturated Colors

I added stronger colors.  In this picture, it gives the impression that I covered the green on the neck with the red-orange, but it is actually not covered.  It is hard to appreciate it from this small picture. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 13: The Garment and Lip Definition

I blended the colors just a little and added the garment on the neck and further defined the shirt. I also paid attention to her lips defining its shape and color. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 14: Refining Her Complexion

Further developed her complexion adding darker variations of skin color and compliments for the area of light. In this stage, I am not blending with the stump at all, just adding paint. The custom brush I was using at this stage blends the different colors applied when I apply just a little pressure on my stylus. I further defined the lips, and the areas around the eyes, nose, and mouth. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 15: Detailing

In this final stage, I detailed the eyes and added some assumed reflected colors (light). I also detailed the earrings and the hair, and called the portrait DONE!… and signed it. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Face Detail:

(Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Eye Detail:

(Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Background Detail:

(Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

I hope that you have enjoyed this demonstration. Feel free to leave your comments.

All images are Copyrighted © 2005 Janet M Garcia.  All rights reserved.

About 3 hours to complete.

Step 1: Linear Marks

In this portrait. I started with some loose linear marks just to get the feel of his features. I didn’t feel it was necessary to draw a preliminary sketch. I used a custom brush, the Big Wet Luscious from Jeremy Sutton.

Step 2: Filling the Big Areas

After finishing the linear marks, I started to fill in big areas with the Palette Knife at a very low opacity. At this point, I tried to block in the lights and shadow shapes.

Step 3: Coarse Distorto brush

I continued with the Coarse Distorto brush to move paint around at the same time I was adding paint.

Step 4: Soft Diffuse Digital Watercolor brush

At this stage, I used the Soft Diffuse Digital Watercolor brush to darken with washes of color the shadowed areas of the painting, especially the skin’s dark tones.

Step 5: Soft Diffuse Digital Watercolor brush

After finishing with the Soft Diffuse Digital Watercolor brush, I went back to the Dirstorto brush to define the eyes by moving paint around and adding some paint at the same time. To accomplish this, I set the brush to a small size with its opacity set between 20-30%.

Step 6: Defining Stronger Shadows

In this almost final stage, I kept adding more paint defining stronger shadows and some accent colors, like the light blue on his hair to match his suit to balance the composition.

Step 7: Detailing the Eyes and Chin

At this final state, I finished detailing the eyes and chin. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

I hope that you have enjoyed this demonstration. Feel free to post your comments.

All images are Copyrighted © 2005 Janet M Garcia.  All rights reserved.

About 3.5 hours to complete.

Step 1: Sketch

This time I did a sketch of the portrait. Sometimes I start painting right away without a sketch but I felt that I needed to sketch this particular portrait. The sketch was done with a 2B pencil.

Step 2: Adding Basic Colors

I started blocking in some basic neutral color to start getting the feeling of the shape of her face and what I wanted to express. This time, I used the Wet Soft Acrylic brush.

Step 3: Adding Vibrant Colors

I started to block in some vibrant colors alternating between the Wet Soft Acrylic brush and the Acrylic Dry Brush for some scumbling. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 4: Detailing and Blending

I started to define some details on the face, like the eyes, nose and mouth. And also started to block in the background colors. At this stage, I also used the Soft Blender Stump to blend a little where different colors met. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 5: More Vibrant Colors

I continued to add more colors in different locations and again, to the arm, alternating between the previously mentioned brushes. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 6: Even more Vibrant Colors (I love them!)

I continued working on the background colors and adding some more contrasting colors to the skin to do some scumbling with more vibrant colors. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 7: Using the Acrylic’s Dry Brush to Blend

I wasn’t happy with the background, so I added more dynamic colors to match the portrait itself. Look how her forehead has many colors that were added by scumbling with the Acrylics’ Dry Brush. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 8: Shadows and Eyebrows

Some purple shades were added to shadow areas of the face. The eyebrows were also corrected at this stage. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 9: The Hair

At this stage, I added the hair, since I was finally happy with the background colors. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 10: The Eyes

In this step I worked on the eyes’ details and reflections. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

Step 11: Corrections

To finalized the portrait, I corrected her mouth so that it would appear as if she was biting her lower lip. (Click on the image to view it at a bigger size.)

I hope that you have enjoyed this demonstration. Feel free to post your comments.

All images are Copyrighted © 2005 Janet M Garcia.  All rights reserved.