Back to basics

Because of the several classes and challenges I have been taking/doing, a lot of the recent portraiture has been pretty "straight," that is, recognizable likenesses, blended paint, not much in the way of offbeat personality. This morning I had a yen for something different, so I went back and reviewed one of Deb Weiers's classes from last year, and reminded myself of the steps to wonkiness.

I scribbled a bunch of pencil marks (because as Deb says, nobody likes a white piece of paper!), dumped on some water and three colors of acrylic inks, and let them spread and bleed and dry. I did a somewhat blind contour of this gal in ballpoint pen, then went back and corrected some things like the shape of her head. Next was the outline of face and features with a black pen, and I made a border too, though I later decided not to fill it in because I didn't want to cover up all those cool colors and drips. Some gesso highlights, some shading with various colors, a little collage, some touches of white, random spatter, and here's a portrait with which I am really pleased! I think I need to head off into more random content again for a while.

"Speak up"—pencil, ball point pen, Daler Rowney inks, gesso, watercolor, Uniball pen, Signo gel pens, collage, on Fluid 140-lb. coldpress watercolor paper, 9x12 inches.