Last week’s Let’s Face It lesson was with Regina Lord. The current focus is on incorporating hands into paintings of faces and figures and this particular lesson was an approach to painting a figure in acrylic. I find drawing hands to be difficult so I knew painting a hand in acrylic was going to prove challenging for me.
I really liked the dreamscape quality of Lord’s tutorial exemplar so I tried to emulate that in my painting. I think I ended up with something that has a sort of naive or folksy quality to it. That is most definitely the best element of this painting. I feel like I am not making much progress with learning to use acrylic paint. I am definitely better at drawing and at using ink and watercolour for illustration type art than I am at using acrylic and attempting a more painterly approach. I am still enjoying exploring something that for me is still fairly new but I definitely am not making progress at a rate I would have hoped for. I do find trying new things and challenging myself to be stimulating, however, so I will keep beavering away and trying my best.
A Pict in PA 
Mysterious and magical!
Thanks, Sharon.
Oh wow! That hand is awesome! Like the face too, but the hand… (because I cannot do it, LOL!)
Thank you very much for your kind comment about the hand. For me that’s a really good painted hand. It’s not there yet but there’s definite progress evidenced in that hand.
Laura, you always do such beautiful work, but this is really great. The naive style is wonderful. And you really did get a terrific hand! They are so hard – but this is right on. I haven’t followed you for long, but you do seem to making real progress, so maybe you are just too close to your work to see that. Congrats for stretching into a medium you aren’t comfortable with and creating something so lovely!
Thank you for your encouraging words, Ellie. I appreciate the support.
I too have such a challenge producing any kind of hand – why are they so difficult? I like so many things about this piece Laura – including the patterned attire, the hair, the colour choices ……. I may have to take a course on hand drawing!!
Thank you very much. I need to get better at drawing hands and will try to draw some from life to get better at it. Painting them is a whole other level of challenge though.
This looks great and your hand came out so good!
Thank you very much. The hand is definitely a step forwards in painting for me.
Reminded me of an icon. I really like it.
Thank you. My mixed media pieces often seem to have an icon aspect to them. I’ve never interrogated why beyond a simplification of the figure and a love of large circles.
I very much like the icon tradition and I think you’re right- I see the use of symbols and the stylization in your work like this. I really like it.
I like it! I think you did a great job! If you like watercolors and ink you may like the “fluid acrylics” by Golden…they function more like watercolors, especially when you add water to the fluid acrylic paint. In addition to water I sometimes add “acrylic flow release” (also Golden brand) to the acrylic colors and that makes them act even more like watercolors – or thick ink depending on your mix. But I like your effect here! Good job!!
Thank you for that advice and encouragement, Sue. If I reach the stage that I feel I might have potential with acrylics then I might feel able to invest in Golden paints. It seems like the fluid ones might be the best place for me to dip my toe in should that day come.
You’re welcome! I do like your work! I think you have a talent. Shame you don’t live closer to me – I’d loan you some Golden fluid acrylics! 😉 Btw many acrylics (no matter the brand) can be thinned with water and or the flow release.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I think any talent I possess lies in ink and watercolour (and that not used very painterly either) but I’m enjoying the challenge of developing new skills with acrylic and mixed media. Really I just like to do creative and arty things whenever possible.
I agree! It really is best to just do creative and arty things when possible!
I love your style and I love the colors in this!
Thank you very much. I’m trying to meld my own illustrative style with the techniques I’m learning since I’m still pretty new to acrylic and mixed media. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
It’s a journey for sure!
I had to come back to this post to tell you that this painting is one of my favourites of yours.The combination of the magnificent blues and the leaves on each side of the woman that remind me of prints stand out for me.
Thank you so much. That means a lot to me. 😀
Pingback: Lilac Dusk | A Pict in PA