Scratching A Portrait . . .

I tried another sgraffito portrait.  This time I painted a layer of yellow acrylic and added black oil pastel over top.  Oddly enough I had a hard time with this one.  It kept ending up looking like the negative of a photo.  I was thinking too much.  And then all of a sudden it clicked and I was able to wipe away the lights to bring her face alive.  

Creepy as she is there is something about her I like.  There is some kind of mystery to her.  I added some scribbles and stamps to this one.  I really like the scratching and wiping away.  Its good to get some angst out!  Maybe that is what shows in her face . . . my angst!  

Sharing her today for Sunday Sketches.

xo

Faces And Sgraffito

We are successfully dug out of the snowstorm here in NY.  It was a doosey!  And it could have been worse.  I am grateful that we are all safe.  I am hoping all of my artist friends here in the northeast faired as well with all the snow!

I have been getting back to some face sketching as I am in the midst of a love affair with abstract painting.  Misty Mawn has a new online course going on right now called "Face To Face".  If you have never taken a class with Misty I recommend it!  You will not be disappointed!  I took her class last year and it was great as is this one!  She packs so much in the class it is hard to keep up!  

I created this girl using a sgraffito technique.   Scratching is something I am loving these days, making marks in paint and now marks in oil pastel.  I had a pack of portfolio pastels that I had not yet used so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to break them out.  This was done on white pastel over black acrylic.  I am trying to continue to let go of wanting to be perfect.  So I do like this girl's face imperfections and all.  

Sharing with Sunday Sketches .