I never had formal art training. I just started doodling and sketching. I saw an article in the encyclopedia one day on light and shading. While it seemed a no-brainer, it opened my eyes to some of the fundamentals of art, and a whole new world. Part of art classes is to teach you how to draw the human form: hands, muscles, feet, face, etc. I never had that. When I did get to take a summer art course I was simply told, “Draw what you see.” It was frustrating at first to hear that, but it sunk in: if you see a circle, then draw a circle. Don’t imagine what it isn’t, draw what it is. This started my journey into Realism Art.
When it comes to the human form, portraits are more my thing. I find them more challenging because you are painting someone’s likeness and if you mess that up, it’s very evident. Besides, people prefer to look at a painting of themselves over anything else. I was never into drawing or painting the full body. So when a friend approached me about doing his portrait, I figured why not do something different.
The outline was easier than I expected. Choosing which medium to use was not so easy. This was only my second time using Procreate app so I wasn’t quite familiar with the various brushes and what they do. First I tried the Inking Studio Pen. I used it in Meta Immersion (link to it) and I liked the result then. Somehow I just couldn’t get it to colour like I wanted it to.
Second, I went back to my pastel roots and tried that. Pastel on paper is much different to pastel in digital software. Scratch that. My next attempt was with oil. See Progression Photo #1. I liked the result, but I didn’t feel it was good enough. I am not that good at blending oil. Even though one expects to see the brush strokes when painting with oil, I felt it looked too rough and patchy.
I have never airbrushed before but I soon realized that this may be my best option. Half way through I discovered the soft and hard blends. Game changer. Knowing how much flow and opacity to use takes some getting used to but trial and error is also part of art. In the end I am pleased with the final product.
You can view or purchase the completed artwork by clicking here: The Sleepover – Rex Lexington Labs
I have included the 4-minute time lapse video in case you are interested in watching it.