Drawing before painting

[Karin Wells]

I often find it useful before I begin a portrait to do a little drawing to work out details such as light/shadow patterns, likeness, pose, clothing, etc.

I prefer to work with red and white chalk on (cheap) brown wrapping paper. Sometimes I use a red and a white colored pencil when I work small (as in this 8" x 10" sketch of John Adams for a historical portrait I'm about to begin). In drawing I avoid using the extreme values of black and white.

I draw on toned paper because I paint on a toned canvas. Drawing on white paper or painting on a white canvas never ever works for me as it "throws off my eye."

(Note that the reference came from a photo of the statue of him that is in the Senate building in DC.)