So now we begin to paint the first layers of her skin tone. I mix a red and yellow cadmium medium with titanium white and a touch of green to tone it down. I dilute it with lots of water so it becomes like watercolor in consistency. We build up layers like this, adding in more red or blue for a darker tone. We want to make sure to avoid harsh lines and blend it softly. I also avoid the area where we will paint the mask as I’m not yet sure how I want to paint it exactly.
We can also begin to add a first light layer of brownish red to her hair leaving the area white where we will later add the rose.
I mix up a darker yellow with the burnt umber and paint the pillar and window, keeping it very light as the light from outside is casting a bright highlight. (We can later glaze the pillar with a bit of gold if we want to.) We add a light layer of blue and green to the curtain, which we will then proceed to add some collage over once that’s dry.
We also begin to add a layer of color to her dress and the rose in her hair. I use a mixture of the three reds I have, Alizarin crimson, red cadmium medium and quinacridone red.
Once the layer of color on the curtain is dry we can add a very lightly patterned paper over with matt gel medium. You can use napkins or whatever collage you have. I stick them on in small pieces to create more variety and create that folded look in the fabric. I give that time to dry completely before I glaze over a layer of green and blue ink (you can use acrylic too, preferably not too opaque) mixing it with acrylic glazing medium.
Next we continue work on her hair. I add some line work with a thin brush indicating the braids, using a darker shade of burnt umber and alizarin crimson. Once that is dry I glaze over with a lighter version of that so bring it all together. I also add a pattern in the dress with a stencil and paint the chair and letter.
As we complete her face we move on to the mask. I use some collage to make it more interesting and add a cast-shadow underneath. I’m also adding a little more color to her lips and cheeks.