My “California Vibe Watercolor Portraiture” style is all about the natural human face captured with expressive, vivid colors and robust, assertive brush marks. My creative process starts with a reference photo shot with an iphone. The subject is always in a strong, outdoors lighting environment, or if inside, illuminated within a single, stage-like light source. Emotive facial expressions and/or eye-engaging shooting angles are always necessary. I print my chosen reference photograph in black and white so as not to be influenced by the original colors. I then render a gestural outline drawing from the photo. This is my
“master drawing” that I can always enlarge or reduce to different painting sizes that can be traced onto watercolor paper. This process provides me with a quick and easy way to create numerous studies without having to redraw my subject each time. My watercolor paper of choice is Fabriano 140lb. cold press in brilliant white. I use mostly Senneilier watercolors. They are made with a honey-based binder that allows me more lifting ability, which I often use for expressive line effects and textures. By follow the value patterns across the face, I can use an endless range of expressive color hues. In light value areas, my hue consistency is tealike. In middle value areas, my waterto-pigment ratio is denser and ranges from a milk up to a cream consistency. In the darkest value, the consistency ranges between cream and butter. As I am building up the facial area, I also add calligraphic or graffiti-like marks over, around, and behind the subject to reinforce expressive energy. Lately, I began experimenting with textures using plastic stencils. Value, expressive color, brush marks and patterns all must work together to enhance the energy of my California Vibe Watercolor Portraiture creations.
Ibe, watercolor with conte crayon, 11 x 15" (28 x 38 cm)
In 2018, Nigerian artist Ibe Ananaba and I painted each other’s portrait using shared selfie reference photos. We called our eff ort from afar the “Ananaba/ Lobenberg International Face-off.” Here I used predominantly bright, saturated warm hues to represent Ibe’s fun-loving portraiture and artistic style. As I was tracing my master outline drawing onto my quarter-sheet watercolor paper, I tilted the paper down to bring the tilt of his head up a little. I used just a few cool and neutral hues to balance but not overwhelm the energetic warm hues.
California Vibe Day Dreaming, watercolor, 22 x 15" (56 x 38 cm)
A good example of my out-of-the-box shooting angle and pose style. The reference photo was shot inside my studio with all the lights turned off except for a single source, overhead drafting table lamp that I was under. This was painted alla prima within an hour and a half time frame. The Thinker by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin inspired me.
Mona, watercolor, 15 x 22" (38 x 56 cm)
My subject was photographed with my iphone in bright high noon sunlight. I directed her to put both hands on either side of her cheeks and turn her eyes toward the camera. I followed the value pattern across her face and hands with expressive colors while leaving the back of her heard indistinct and trailing off into the background. Energetic, calligraphic line work mirrors the indistinct direction of the back of her head. I ended up with a very emotive portrait with her askance glance. I never erase my initial pencil tracing lines, as it always adds to the energy of the piece.
California Surfer Dude, watercolor, 11 x 15" (28 x 38 cm)
This is my “mess around” approach to coloring in the face. I first add random sweeps of color (nothing beyond mid-value range) with primarily a 4-inch flat brush. After it dries, I trace in the outline of the face. The portraiture likeness was completed with mostly dark thalo blue (for the facial features and hair). After this second stage dried, I used a plastic stencil and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to render the pattern that enhances the surfer dude’s curly hair effect.