Tuesday 22 September 2009

After a rough day at work, 8" x 10", oil on canvas board, 2009



This is another transformation of one of my sketches into colour.

I sketched this guy last year on the 14th of June as the date reads and I can't really remember what made me sketch him other than the fact that sleeping commuters are the best-No disturbance and they keep still, with the exception of some drifters!

I went about this one, thus:

1. I got my canvas board primed with neutral grey (white gesso with orange and blue acrylic)

2. I started by sketching his face with a a number 2 sable brush, using the tip of it with some Terra Rosa oil paint.

3. When satisfied with the terra rosa sketch, I just started to paint section by section starting from the eyes and moving right round the face, just like a jigsaw puzzle. The colours used were, titanium white, raw umber, lemon yellow, cadmium yellow, yellow ocher, cadmium orange, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian green and chromium oxide. The medium used was oleopasto-impasto liquin.

4. When almost all the face had been completed with the neck, I used the tip of my brush to adjust all meeting planes and edges around the face so that it wouldn't look patchy. e.g where the forehead meets the hair.

5. After adjusting the edges, I run over the whole sketch again with the goal of refining the drawing. Also, just going over the sketch gives room for the face not to look overworked but still maintain a sketchy feel.

6. I struggled with the particular flow of light across the planes of the face, as my reference sketch was quite confusing. But because I have use no colour reference and this is just experimental for me, I go with the flow, hoping that the mistakes might even make the face look interesting!

7. I have a look in the mirror and see some sore spots, I refine them and decide to stop.

8. I didn't want to put any background in this one, just to keep it looking like a work in progress.

15 comments:

Bonnielynn said...

I love the simplicity yet strength of the man in the painting. Well done.
Its always fun to read how others went about from sketch to finished painting. Thanks for sharing that with us.

adebanji said...

Thanks Bonnielynn, I really appreciate your comments! You are welcome!

Antti Rautiola said...

Looks really good :)
Cheers!

adebanji said...

Thanks Antti!

Carlton Mackey said...

Thanks so much for the good words on my blog.

Man, your blog has really picked up the followers.

It is really good to see that more people are discovering your terrific work

Antonio Castelló Avilleira said...

your paintings are so beautiful.
Greetings from Spain.

adebanji said...

Thanks Antonio!

Jennie Norris said...

beautiful work! Your figures are very expressive- I love that you post your drawing as well as your finished painting, very interesting to see them together. I will check back often!

adebanji said...

Thanks Jennie!

Peggi Habets Studio said...

Wonderful sketch and painting. I love the loose brushstrokes and simplicity of each piece. Very nice.

adebanji said...

Thanks Peggi!

bondearte said...

I really like your work,
I really like the colors used
Congratulations
Have a nice sunday

Raquel Beltramino said...

me gustan tus pinturas, pero los bosetos son espectaculares. saludos desde Argentina. Raquel

Keith said...

I think the final painting is superb. Makes me jealous.

Great work.

patmosphere said...

Super crisp effect.

I really enjoy your website! Congratulations indeed on the 'plein air' award - richly deserved! As a newcomer to 'urbansketchers' I am still taking my first tentative steps towards becoming more 'visible' online. You are an inspiration!

I particularly admire your 'pochade' box. Could you perhaps sketch and describe it?