Getting arty!

Ever since I've begun teaching, I've slowly been rediscovering my drawing skills. This started during the TEFL course - my teacher's would admire the board games I'd make with loads of small hand sketches. I've been getting more and more practice over the months - digestive system on the whiteboard and I even drew some HUGE (A0 or probably larger) maps of the continents - which I did using my floor tiles as gridlines. I'm SO proud of those - I think I'll post them here soon! But my latest THRILL has come from the portrait of my boss I attempted and completed yesterday!!

As I've forgotten how to post pictures between text, I may not be able to write about it in sequence with the pics of the entire process. I was inspired by Meg's Creations - www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pQa-2iLSvQ, part of a series of youtube videos on drawing portraits. My boss - who's practically my Local Guardian here, in addition to being my landlady and provider - is retiring from the NFE (Non Formal Edu., Samui) this month. And tomorrow night there's a big farewell dinner for her. Last week my colleague was discussing farewell presents for her, and suggested we print a big picture of her with our class & frame it, all for a grand sum of 30-50 USD - I literally choked, on the shoes string budget I live on here!!! Knowing that she's an artist I suggested she think of something cheap but meaningful - and that's what got me thinking about Meg's video!

I asked my boss' son for a picture of her - in black and white, as I had only every drawn pencil shaded portraits in school (17yrs ago)! He brought over 2 prints - b/w as requested & one coloured, just by mistake. At about 9:30 pm I began working on the b/w reference picture - all I had was regular printer paper and HB pencils (no fancy thicker ones like I had in school), a ruler, eraser and sharpener. And I got started with the sketch.

Feeling pretty satisfied, I started erasing the grid and looked at Meg's next video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgJPFgWqLcY&hd=1 and here's when I began to consider buying some coloured pencils!!! So sometime past midnight I hopped across to the 7 Eleven (OH HOW I LOVE THEE) and bought coloured pencils! I got back and worked more on the sketch, still unsure about whether or not I'd really USE the colours!!! Retired by about 2am.

The next day after loads of delaying tactics, including an unsuccessful attempt @ frying a THAI omlette, I got down to work @ 3'ish. As the videos suggested, I put on some music, and made myself comfortable on the verandah with my dear fan and set the mood! It took ages to grid the coloured print out, and add more detail, including the background (which was a waste of time, as I changed it later!), and finally erase all the gridlines on my drawing. 

Several nervous whatsapp messages later and thoughts about whether to leave it as a pencil sketch, or shade in pencil... it was time to COLOUR!

No more gridlines

Nervously watching Meg's videos over and over again, I worked through the eyes, the lips - leaving out the teeth (as Zoella's lips were sealed!!!!), the skin and the hair! The reason that the process was documented was because I truly expected a fuck up at some stage, sooner rather than later - so this was proof of my attempt at least!!! However as I proceeded, I began to get happier and happier with my progress and kept sharing the pictures with my friends on Whatsapp!

Meg's eyes video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgJPFgWqLcY&hd=1
 

Eye didn't think eyed manage!

Born lippy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV2OryGV6-U#t=15

Oh no why does she have teeth!!!?!!

And then the skin (always closely following Meg's tips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ea2hyrGVw0)

And then came the skin - I could've shaded it more, but it was going so well I was too scared I'd fuck it all up!!!

Then came the hair...(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etTp9rsqaio)

And I knew I was nearly THERE! ..well ALMOST except for those damn teeth!

I took a long break admiring my work till then, knowing that the teeth could make or break my hard work!!!! And then I got down to it - and in 3 minutes...

EEEEEEE!!! :-D SHE HAS TEEEEEEETH!!!!! YIPPEEE!!!

Teeth that didn't convert her into a horse or some monster!!!!!! I was in heaven!!!!!

The uniform wasn't easy - as I couldn't quite figure out what colours to use - somehow managed a little shading with black and green mostly. And then I didn't have the energy for the perfect leaves in the background. At this point (about 6:30pm) Leah picked me up to go for Thai Dance practice (shall make complete fools of ourselves to humour dear Khun Nuie!!!

I got back at 10'ish and had little energy for anything fancy - so I decided to texture shade real leaves and finish it off! Mounted on black board...tada... my inexpensive and meaningful gift to a lady who's been my fairy godmother here so far....

Framed!