Porcelain Painting

Lesson 2: And So To Paint...

Chocolate Box Look

This lesson will be a continuation of your first firing:
* What a thrill to view your first piece as it comes from the kiln! Make sure you softly sand the surface of the piece, using a fine sandpaper. Wipe the surface with a soft cloth dampened with Metholated Spirits.
 

1. Continue to paint over your piece with the exact colours used for the first firing. 'Monotonous' you say, not at all as this is the only way you can intensify your colour tones, remember in the first lesson where we covered the fact that our paint applications must be thin mixtures of paint? The love of this medium will take over and every prefiring application will be a new challenge.
2. Your piece will now need a second fire and most likely this will be the final firing for this your first attempt.
    

We now proceed with a study I have titled 'The Cocolate Box Look'
Chocolate Box Look. This approach can be applied to any portrait study on Porcelain. Once again I have used prepared colours, they are ideal until your colour knowledge is more developed.

Colours you will need:
Ivory Flesh. Grey. Purple Black. Flesh N01. Brown. Dark Brown. Hair Brown. Pompadour Red. Red Brown. Flesh Shadow.
Brushes: Stippler. Fine Pointer. Medium Square shader.
Silk Wad and soft cloth. Open Medium.Fine sandpaper.
* I chose a porcelain tile for this study.
Make sure you place your features correctly and refer to the Face to Face instructions.
 

1. We are going to attempt to go straight into colour, but, if you would prefer to sketch your features with the All pencil do so. Mix Grey paint with your medium ( I suggest you use the open medium) Sketch in the features with this colour and Block in the hair with the stippler brush and wipe out the highlights. Make sure your brush strokes are soft and smooth. FIRE at the appropiate temp. (see lesson 1)
2. After sanding your piece Wash Ivory Flesh over the face and neck. Stroke in the shadow area with Flesh shadow. Place cheek colour in Flesh N01 and soften with a silk wad. I chose a fine pinter brush to paint in the lips with Flesh N01. To acquire a soft look to the lips, stroke from the edge of the top lip into the centre line and then stroke from the centre line to the base of the lower lip.(wipe out the highlight).
3. The iris of the eye is painted in with Brown and the pupil is placed in just under the top lid with Purple Black and this is a good time to paint the eyelashes and eyebrows with feather strokes.( wipe back the whites of the eyes and the pin point highlight.)
4. Deepen the hair with Dark Brown and blend some lighter tones of Hair Brown.
5. This is the stage of details and our portrait really begins to take shape.
   With the fine pointer brush and Red Brown place in the nostrils and the dividing line (which is really shadow) between the lips and the corners of the mouth.
   I used Pompadour Red to deepen the lips and cheek colour, then softened. Highlights on the cheeks, chin and elsewhere can be brought out with a small silk wad.
6. Shape the hair line by stroking wisps of hair colour into the background and also onto the forehead. FIRE
7. Continue after this firing by once again washing Ivory Flesh over the entire face and neck. Shadow colours are deepened and the pattern of the face is defined by softeneing lighter tones and highlights.Accentuate details where necessary and paint the chosen colour for the neckline of the frock.
8. I deliberately chose a pale Grey background for this lesson so as not detract from the subject. Paint pale Grey (or your choice of colour)over the background with a medium square shader brush, cross hatch the brush strokes and then soften if needed. Repaint the strands of hair into the background.FIRE.
    

I do hope you enjoy this portrait lesson as I did in the preparation. It is a basic lesson of painting the female face and hopefully you wil base further portraits on this method.

We will cover the colour tones and technique of painting the Dark Skinned people, so come back soon.

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