Dancing the Salsa
Starting with a simple charcoal outline, Audrey Hepburn comes alive.
There are no structured steps to the way I paint. There are really only three steps I follow: sketch, build from wherever the brush takes me first and continue to wherever it takes me next. Sometimes I start with the eyes, other times with the chin, shoulders, hair or neck. I always start with Raw Umber and paint in a way that there is always balance. It is a bit like dancing, you just listen to the music and let your body move to it; if you think too much you end up looking like a robot or confused. In the same way I think you should keep looking at your canvas and let your hands to the rest.
STEP ONE
Do a basic charcoal outline, always in free hand, even if it takes hours with many failed attempts.
STEP TWO
Loosely map out the image with Raw Umber and Phthalo Blue using turps as a medium.
STEP THREE
Continue to build, adding white to the palette.
STEP FOUR
Start to add in the shadows, still only using turps as a medium.
STEP FIVE
Introduce oil as a medium and continue to build.
STEP SIX
Continue to build wherever the brush takes you, at this stage usually towards the extremes i.e. shadows and light. Commence some detailing on the facial features so you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
STEP SEVEN
Continue to build, blending and
toning with Titanium White and continuing on the shadows with the same mixture of Raw Umber and Phthalo Blue.
STEP EIGHT
Keep layering the shadows.
STEP NINE
Continue to layer, build and balance. Enough layers of Raw Umber and Phthalo Blue will give you a darker finish, increasing the blue for the darker areas.
FINAL STEP
Bring out those fine brushes for the finer details and finish by glazing with white for highlights.
You now know how to dance the salsa.
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