"Miriam"
Regal "Miriam" was created in the Fall of 2011. She was my second in the series, "Ladies of a Certain Era". Miriam is on a large canvas, 24" x 30" painted again in acrylics with definition given by artist pens. As she is early in the collection, artist pens were used sparingly (I had not yet developed the outlining).
Here she is as the finished woman.
Miriam began as the sketch below. Her face was sketched from a photo of Louise Brooks, a 1920's silent film star and dancer. I designed her with vines and leaves because they are what I frequently draw if I doodle. They also give her an Art Deco feeling. I like to mix different time periods in order to achieve a desired look. The use of nature was prevelant then. I wanted to make the painting vibrant in color and somewhat subdued. Although she is surrounded by movement in color and lines, she is introspective and quiet.
Notice the difference between the sketch and the final portrait. The sketch has her eyes looking down and to the right while the canvas has them looking straight down. What else do you see that's different? There are no eyebrows on canvas Miriam. Sketches are a springboard for the final painting. They are a rehearsal. Sometimes the rehearsal goes better than the performace and then there is the reverse.
In this instance, I am happy with both. They have two distinctive looks and feelings, but faces never stay the same (haha).
I'll be back with another portrait - the next chapter. To read about Miriam as portrayed on the back of her note card, please visit http://www.artistfascia.com
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