100 PORTRAITS IN 100 DAYS - Suzanne, 8/100, © Carol Nelson Fine Art

Day 8
I didn't go too wild with the colors on this portrait unless you call the purple hair wild. You would think that painting down cast eyes, such as this lady's, would not be a problem, but I had a terrible time with her right eye. Had to paint it and wipe it off about 3 times.

It seems like every portrait has it's own set of problem areas. On the bright side, by the time I've done a hundred of these, there probably won't be anything I haven't encountered.

Some people have inquired about my painting process, so today I'll discuss the supports I'm using for this project. I go to Home Depot and buy a 2 x 4 foot piece 1/4 inch thick MDF (medium density fiberboard). Then I have the HD folks cut it into 6 inch strips. When I get home I cut the strips into 6 inch sections on my table saw. The MDF board is a very smooth surface, which is essential for such detailed work.

Each 6x6 inch panel is then filed on the edges and gessoed. I'm using white gesso now, but think I will try black gesso in a future group. I may even do some in acrylic with collage materials. We'll see.

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