"Proximity", And Faces - #660

The first piece I have to share today (above), "Proximity" 11" by 14" pastel pencil, is a study involving depth...and proximity. There are many devices employed by artists to show depth. To name a few; perspective, vertical placement, foreshortening, value, overlapping, scale. In this study, I have used value, overlapping, and to a limited degree, foreshortening in the fairer woman's shoulder which seems to be the closest thing to the front of all that appears in the piece. While the darker values seem to push the other people back in the image, the lighter value serves not only to put the one woman closer to the forefront but also creates an emphasis on her. One of the things I enjoy most about drawing, is deliberate manipulations such as this one. Fun to do.

If a person does not think that strong drawing skills will be any benefit to their painting ability, they would be mistaken. Since painting involves a lot of adjustments (or what some people call corrections), strong draftsmanship may be needed in the process of making revisions while painting. Below is a piece that underwent many adjustments that involved drawing skills in its conversion to color. The "before" image appears directly below the revised color one. After all is said and done with a comparison between the color and the sepia pastel pencil versions shown here, as a matter of taste I still prefer the sepia version in spite of all its flaws. But that is a matter of my own taste toward something more raw and visceral at times.

Two more faces to add to today's mix follow, below.
I really wish I had photographed the first one head on, and not lying on a pile at an angle. Distortions...

That's what I have today! Hope everyone has a good weekend!