Lots of Locks

[Mary Sparrow]

VERY nice Lisa!

[Julie Deane]

Beautifully done, Lisa!

[Lisa Ober]

Ngaire, Terri, Mike, Mary, and Julie, thank you all so much! After I posted I thought, "What a chicken I am! I probably should have posted in the critique section." Next time I will do that. I've learned so much here so far.

Okay Mike, you have my heart now. This is one of very few portraits I have done with natural lighting-no flash. I think it has made a difference and I realized how important it was when I joined SOG.

Terri, yes those weightless curls. They are however quite a pain. It's amazing how where and how the curls fall affects the likeness in my opinion.

Thanks to all of you. In spite of the rain here I might actually have a great day!

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Lisa, this turned out very nice. Do you give lessons in "how to paint locks"?

[Chris Saper]

Lisa,

Beautiful job!

Next time you do such a head of hair, why don't you photograph the stepsalong the way to do a mini-demo?

[Ardith Starostka]

Looks fantastic! I have some of that ampersand pastel board but have never used it. I'm anxious to try it. I heard that it really is nice to work on and the pastel adheres very well.

[Linda Brandon]

Lisa, this is so beautiful, and I am really enjoying your flawless technique. The color is fresh and subtle as well. Beautifully done! I have to ask you how many hours it took to draw those curls.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

I did'nt read the other replies (not lazy, just tired) so I'm sorry if I'm repeating. This piece has a stunning classical quality to it, timeless. It's very beautiful.

[Lisa Ober]

Enzie and Chris, thank you for the kind words and your comments on the hair. Those curls take some turns, don't they? I spent many years and some money trying to get my hair to do something like that with no luck. It also feels like I spent years drawing the curls on this little girl. It made me happy that most of my client's have children with fine straight hair.

I know there is nothing I could teach either of you when it comes to painting, but your comments are most appreciated. One day, should I achieve any level of satisfaction in my work, I might feel comfortable with a little step-by-step. Until then I am going to take your compliments and run as fast as I can so no one can steal them back. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Jenni Nolen

Mary, Thanks so much. I ordered several pieces of the Pastelboard, but only in grey. I am so used to letting the color of the Canson paper be the background for head and shoulders and I can't do so with the grey Pastelboard, at least with this piece. I felt it needed some color. I've been wanting to try the La Carte also, but have been nervous because it seems delicate. I'll have to take your suggestion and order the sand color Pastelboard.

Ardith, thank you as well! I cannot sing the praises of Ampersand's Pastelbord enough. It is just incredible. As I understand it, it is made with marble dust which provides a fine texture similar but not as painful on the fingers as Wallis. It is superb at holding pastels and beats the potential wrinkling, waving and fragility of any paper. It holds its tooth forever allowing many layers to be applies without losing the surface. It takes a little adjusting to if you are coming from paper like Canson, but I highly recommend giving it a try. Go look at the difference I believe it made in Jenni Nolen's beautiful "Something about Genevieve" thread recently in Pastel Critiques. You may have seen it already. She started with Canson and switched to Pastelbord and I think it improved her already impressive painting. I love the stuff. can you tell? Thank you again.

[Patricia Joyce]

Lisa,
Let me add . . . BEAUTIFUL ! ! ! and WOW ! ! ! This is so much more polished than anything I've seen of yours to this point. I think the lighting without the flash is the key!! Mike knows his stuff when it comes to photography.

You go Girl!!!