Monday 28 January 2008

portrait exchange with Ronell - aka "myfrenchkitchen" + "africantapestry"

since sometime ago we've been talking about doing a portrait exchange with Ronell (Africantapestry) she's a fine artist i truly admire, so it's really an honour for me to be working with her in this exchange. finally we sent pics to each other a few days ago. i've started with some sketches to study the shapes, the directions, lights/shadows, etc. later when i have a print in colour of the photos (i have a b&w printer) i'll go to a next step which will be to make some colour versions.

I've been working on all the photos she sent me, and here are the sketches I've done up to now.


This one is in watercolour pencil.




This is in liquid ink pen. The funniest about this one is I did it with a flashlight liying on my bed and the electricity had gone out and it was too early for me to sleep.




This has "invented colours" as I haven't printed the photos in colour yet as I said above. I coloured it as I remember the pic on the email and making it up. I made it darker digitally as it is how it should look like.




this one is obviously a sketch in pencil.



Don't forget to visit Ronell's site at: http://africantapestry.wordpress.com/ and check the portraits of me she's been doing as well as all her wonderful work. Also she has a blog about FOOD ( http://myfrenchkitchen.wordpress.com) where you can also spend a good time over there!
Note to Casey, I'm still waiting for YOUR photos! This is not pressure... is it? hahahaha

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

You did great on all of them Martin. There is something so strong coming from each onewhich I enjoy. the soft romantic look of the first one, the fascinating linework in the second, the great expressive feel to the thrid one and I love that and in the last, it feels as if I am looking at my own hand! Great work you did congratualtions! I also like the sizes you posted in...would be nice to see this size on you posts more often. it does justice to your work.
Take care
Ronell

mARTa said...

Hola querido! I have the advantage that I have met and spent some time with Ronell. The Ronell I met is the first one. She is a wonderful lady, very classy. Your renditions of her are super!

Brenda Yarborough said...

Wonderful, wonderful work!! Having only met Ronnel "online," these show the beautiful spirit of a beautiful person. . . exactly as I have her pictured in my mind!!

Anonymous said...

While these are wonderful, I have the great luck to have seen Ronell in person and to know who beautiful she is, how much younger she is in real life, than she appears here. Her hair is very thick and glossy blue-black, her lips are naturally sort of raspberry-colored, and her skin a kind of soft olive-color. I would like to have a go at making a portrait of her, too! Martin, these really are so strong and well done, but I would love to see what you would do if you'd seen her in person.Her portraits of you are fantastic. What fun to see your versions of each other!

dibujandoarte said...

Thanks all of you for your visit and comments.
Ronell: I'm glad you like them. I'll keep on working with the photos trying some other different media. I have no doubts you look much better in real life than in these drawings, though. ;)

Cathy Gatland said...

Lovely drawings - I especially like the third one's loose expressive style, and the last one - those hands do have character, and the slightly distorted, pensive face is beautifully rendered.

Judybec said...

Wow, Martin--Now I wonder no more as to what Ronell looks like! I love that you used several different photos--each expresses a unique quality. Beautiful.

Teri said...

These are fantastic Martin. What a neat thing to do. She did great ones of you also.

Robyn Sinclair said...

Hi Martin, I came to see Ronell's portrait and I'm not disappointed! These are lovely, my favourites are your first and third. But they are a wonderful variety of approach and style. Excellent. She's done you proud too.
Now I'm going to enjoy some more of your blog :)

Anonymous said...

Lovely, Martin! As Laura says, she's very beautiful in real life and this doesn't always come across in photographs, but these all bringout different aspects of her - some are closer than others of course. And yes, I did promise you some photos, didn't I? As soon as my home connection is restored I'll send them, I promise!

Unknown said...

Wow they are all wonderful! I am totally in love with the watercolor pencil and the graphite pencil too..that is a great capture of expression

AnaGF said...

Great job on all of them, it's so interesting to compare all the different versions! I particularly like the softness of the first one.

dibujandoarte said...

Many many many thanks!!!

sandy said...

I like all of these, especially the top one.

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