How can I keep from singing : Portrait

"Ol' Grandpa"

Portrait created minus a prelimnary sketch, with colour alone bringing the subject to life.

If my ride on earth ended at this moment , not that it will, I couldn't be more happier.  I am so incredibly blessed and I am loving my art journey in particular. So much is happening that I have to shake myself  regularly to understand this isn't all a dream. I gave an interview recently where I explained how I started out as a professional artist and I was told I should write a book about my life. It isn't going to happen. I haven't time. But from a child brought up by grandparents to who I am now my story has been one of ups and downs, like many other peoples. From feeling unwanted to knowing I am loved. And perhaps out of all the many good things in my life being loved is at the top of the list for me. Because without love there is no point in life.

But back to my art. This week saw me judging an art competition with the Artist Magazine in UK, and then sending prizes out to the five lucky winners who each receive a signed copy of my latest book along with gorgeous watercolour sets of my favourite colours by Daniel Smith.

I've also prepared and wrapped paintings for two exhibitions. One collection has already been couriered to its destination. Another needs wrapping.  And I have of course worked in my studio. I painted the above portrait of a character I met in New Orleans. I saw him while I was teaching workshops there. This fantastic gentleman was sat by the side of the street singing with such an amazing voice. We stopped and listened for a while and I took several photos. We also bought his CD which we play constantly. You can see the step by steps of this particular portrait on my "Jean Haines Watercolours" facebook page.

This singer is blind but it does not stop him loving life. His smile is contagious. While painting him I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to have the gift of sight. I really couldn't help but sing as I painted him. When I finished my last brush work I remembered one of my favourite songs. "How can I keep from singing" . Part of the lyrics are below and seem to go with my post.

"I lift my eyes the cloud grows dim

I see the blue above it

And day by day this pathway smoothes

Since I first grew to love it"

We all go through hiccups in life and I will admit my health has been really scary this year but now I I am on the winning side of things and I definitely feel much better thank heavens. 

Painting is a great healer, and it has helped me over the last few months to sit still, rest and simply enjoy the beauty in life.

We all need time to rest and recharge our batteries.

This was my time. But guess what? And I am now raring to go again!

In fact I am so happy

How can I keep from singing!

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Building Up a Portrait in Watercolour

 Two child's hands, in my new portrait in watercolour.

No preliminary sketch.

  I have thoroughly enjoyed painting the hands in my new portrait painting. As seen in my previous blog post. I aimed to make the colour of each hand, seen in the image above,  vary as they are in different lighting in my resource photograph. And I must admit I am pleased with the result.

The face is  evolving as a work in progress. Working this way takes time as I allow the colour to dry naturally in between each layer of colour. Gentle brushwork is necessary to keep the skin looking fresh in colour. I am keeping the light as white paper on part of the face also.

 

 Portrait building up gradually, minus the use of a preliminary sketch.

I added white gouache, just a touch to bring a shine to the eyes. As seen in the image below. Next I will work on the nose and mouth facial features but these will wait until tomorrow as today's painting session is coming to a close. But what an amazing day I have had.

I so love working in watercolour. In fact I love it so much that it doesn't seem like work at all!

Portrait.

Work in Progress

No preliminary sketch.

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A Helping Hand: Portrait in Watercolour

 

 "Child's hand in Watercolour"

No preliminary sketch

 Following on from my recent portrait posts on my blog I remembered how many times I have been asked on my workshops for good colour combinations to use for achieving skin tones in watercolour.

The above child's hand has been painted minus the use of a preliminary sketch and I feel it has far more life in it than the painting I previously shared that had been sketched before hand. Here the colour alone had to bring my subject to life and there were no pencil lines guiding me. I painted what I felt. Which was the soft skin of a child, minus wrinkles of old age. Also the skin hasn't been in the sun recently so it is pale in tone.

The colours I used are Alizarin Crimson and Yellow Ochre, in a heavily diluted wash.

Below is the first wash stage of my portrait minus a preliminary sketch. It is now easier for me to work as I have no strict lines to paint within. But of course it takes longer as I have to think at each stage of adding new brushwork. I need to focus my mind and concentrate on where the facial features need to be placed but it is also far easier to consider what details can be left out. 

I am loving this! And loving sharing with you.

Portrait of a child, first wash stage.

No sketch.

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Wisdom in a Wash

Face Appearing from a First Wash

Almost  alive, jumping off the paper and speaking to me.

Unfinished Original Watercolour by Jean Haines

There are times when everyone needs the presence of a very special friend. A rock to lean on, someone familiar to watch over a shoulder saying everything will be fine. I have felt as though I have been living in a dream these last few weeks.With only weeks to go until the launch of my book at the Mall Galleries in London I find myself caught up in a whirlwind of events which include charity evenings,delivering work to galleries and working on press release information for several occasions coming up.

This afternoon I am in my studio with several paintings that need to be completed for exhibitions but a "friend" was calling to me. I stopped what I was working on,followed my heart and decided to paint him. It seems he knows when the time is right for him to "appear" because this first wash of him seems so magically alive.

I keep coming across the same question at demonstrations and workshops. 

How did you start selling professionally?

Although the answer is too long for this blog entry my first subjects that became really popular were faces. I had been told at the time that portraits rarely sold in galleries.But my passion for capturing the  incredible faces that I saw in Dubai was so strong I continued to paint what I loved most. And they did sell. "Magic Faces" became collectable and I adored working on them. From first delicate washes of colour to the final hints of detail characters appeared on paper in an unusual and effective way.

 I still return to painting them in between other work. One is a favourite character which I normally fall upon for a break from my other commitments. But I have a new portrait of an old fisherman whose expression tells me he has had an interesting life far removed from my own. Probably a simple one, catching fish daily ,taking them to the market to be sold at a fair price and  then spending time with his family. He probably has a million stories to tell of days gone by when things were so very different to today. I could probably tell a few stories myself of how I came to photograph such amazing people in incredible surroundings.

This afternoon I lost myself completely in this face and thoroughly enjoyed the escape from reality where my life has become so full of activity from each day to the next.

Quietly moving my brush I felt this old mans wisdom as he whispered to me.

He said............

"Slow down"

I am listening!

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