Step 7

Another couple of hours work and the skin tones are starting to become smoother. I'm having trouble mixing the right red for the lips so I'll try a different red tomorrow. I also worked on filling in some of the underpainting on the hair.

Step 6

Today's work will be very hard to see. It was a matter of working all over the face correcting small areas of colour, value, shape etc. Still a long way to go. I think it's only about half done. More tomorrow.

Step 5

This shows a combination of yesterday's and today's progress. I'm still working my way around adjusting both large areas of colour to shape the features and fine areas of blending or details. Lots of work to go yet.

Step 4

Another couple hours working on this. I'm fighting the consistency of the paint the whole time. And it doesn't help that the reference image isn't very good for the colours. However, I'll just keep working at it and hopefully it will turn out ok.

Maverick step 3

I've been sick with a cold and didn't feel like painting for a few days. I'm gradually feeling better so I did another couple of hours this morning. I'm rethinking all I've already done and I almost feel like starting over with a better reference image. I don't like the quality of it and it's effecting the painting. I'll finish this one though and then maybe start a larger one from a different photo for me. I am reworking almost all the skin tones because I didn't like them and they will have to be reworked again. I am sure this will be the painting where I try glazing at the end.

Maverick step 2

I worked another couple of hours on this but I'm really struggling. I waited to get a set of professional paints that I thought would be so much better but I'm gradually getting out my older ones. The new ones are too transparent (the pencil marks show through), I'm having trouble mixing the colours I want because they are pigments I'm not used to,  and they are so creamy that they can't be layered because the new layer lifts the first one. I'll have to let each layer dry much longer between. So it's back to my usual paints until I have time to do small studies and see if I can use them at all.

Maverick step 1

Today I started a portrait of my third grandson. It's 8 x 10 and in oils. I'm also using some new oil paints which are thinner than what I am used to so I can't layer them like I'm used to. I'll have to leave a day to dry between layers. So new painting, new paints and new technique. Lots to get used to.