I have been very busy and haven't had time to post but once in a while.
I wanted to post this, not so much for the critique, but the challenges in the medium, which is pen and ink.
At first I thought these could sell for 1/2 the cost of my pastels but am finding that these are so much harder to complete, because now I say "If it's not done right, it's done over".
It is very hard to achieve the smoothness of a smaller child's face with this medium, but I explain this to all my clients and show examples so they will understand the process. The younger the subject, the less line (pen) work I do, so they almost become "ink paintings".
I have actually done this little girl 3 times and wasn't happy, of course the last time I split water all over her on my drawing board
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I was also once told that inks would never sell, but I am finding this too not be the case at all and really love to do them. But moving into portraiture now, it has been a bit of a struggle.
On this one, the client wanted the attention drawn immediately to the face - there is also a brother to be done. To achieve this I have kept her dress very simple and pretty much just getting lost to the back ground. My concern is now I like it this way, but should I fill in the arm area or let it too remain white?
Note the bow and other minor things are not completed. This is 10 x 8 (the largest I will do these) with sumi'e ink on Strathmore 500 series paper.