Quite contrary

So, this week's assignment was to paint this gal, using basically red, black, and white in various combinations to get the darkest to the lightest colors. Cool photo, yes? Cool color palette too, hm? So, did I do it? No, of course not, because I'm contrary and I don't want to do what everybody else is doing, even if I could learn something from it (which I definitely could have).

Kara Bullock, the week's teacher and portrait painter, did hers in acrylic, which of course makes sense because you can get solid opaque colors, you can blend all sorts of shades, you can do the darks first and then the lights instead of vice versa like in watercolor, and if you make a mistake, you can paint over it.

My friend Phoebe, who is also a bit contrary, did do the assignment—but she did it in watercolor, and added black and white charcoal and Stabilo Woody to achieve the darkest darks and lightest lights and, I will add, did it masterfully. So I thought, Okay, watercolor, good.

Then I saw a different reference photo, and instead of the pink/red, the predominant color was green. I liked the model's face and pose, and thought the green in the skin and hair would be a fun challenge. Ha! Big difference between painting a big mass of dense curly hair and some that is thin and straight and is letting through a lot of light. And let the cascade of mistakes begin!

First of all, I should have followed Phoebe's example and not pre-coated my paper with brown strokes of paint the way Kara did. Phoebe left her face a pristine white as a base, and it made a huge difference.

Second, I shouldn't have mixed inks and watercolors, because the inks sit where they are put, while the watercolors keep moving when you go over them.

And finally, I should have stopped while I was ahead. Either that, or started over! Because this portrait, from the background to the smallest detail, is kind of a hot mess. But...I did a portrait, start to finish, today, which pleases me if nothing else does. Here she is:

"Green Girl"—pencil, Daler Rowney inks, Paul Jackson watercolors, on Fluid 140-lb. coldpress watercolor paper, 9x11 inches.

I have until next Monday to actually do the assignment...maybe that will happen now.