siena

Arches CP 300 gsm, 14" x 10".

this is a portrait built from the same photo as the freehand drawing of october 31. it emphasizes the mature woman side of siena, who strikes me as a thoughtful and searching spirit.

i struggled a bit to get all the colors to harmonize. i finally put a wash of sap green over the brown blanket and the top background, a wash of magenta over the rest.

the flesh tones are almost entirely in reds and greens. i tried adding a light tint of blue to the shadow areas, to emphasize the value contrast, but this only appeared as dirty color. i've learned that there are two kinds of light/shadow mixtures -- red/green and yellow/blue, and using both systems together produces dull results that are difficult to manage.

i may step down her eyes a notch, but as they are they suggest the intensity of her normally reserved feelings.

around the time i started this piece i was responding to some "purple passion" images by castagnet that nick sent me. as i painted i kept thinking "no, THIS is how you use purple."