Masks and stencils

Among other art supplies, masks and stencils rate right up there near the top of my favs.        I watched Pam Carriker's face mask video which I downloaded from Cloth Paper Scissors website.      Here on the right side is a sketch from that exercise.      The stencil on the left is one I cut using a magazine photo of a famous movie star.  This is how I spent part of a rainy day.








Yesterday I tried to paint from my newly cut face stencil.     I thought I'd try it as a generic face and was surprised to find a junior grade drag queen.     I should have knows that watching Ru Paul's Drag Race every week, it might have some influence on my work.    Only difference is that in the real life drag race,    you really cannot recognize the boys face.   I'm always surprised when I see the guys without their make up.    I would not guess they could possible be the same person.  One of the reasons I like to watch is to see them apply the make up to change their features.   Shading and shadows,  highlights, and contouring.   Sculpting with color.    Like making their own portraits in 3 dimension.   It is truly a unique art form in itself.    I didn't have room on the page for a humongous wig!   So a simple turban had to suffice.


When I had finished that,I decided to rewatch Jane Davenport's video workshop  on drawing whimsical faces.     She used totally different proportions from real faces.    This is her style.   Kewpie doll mouth.   One that may seem a bit familiar in a way from our pasts.      I'm thinking of the big eyed faces that used to be on greeting cards.  Sweet faces, big eyes, innocent looking girls.       Here is the exercise from that workshop.    It never hurts to audition another artist's processes.    

 Next, I want to tell you about an interview with Roz.    I follow her blog and she is one of my ultimate journaling heroes.      She was interviewed on her International Fake Journal project for the month of April.     April is just around the corner and I may just join this group and do the project myself.       Here is the link.  The video is 12 wonderful minutes lone with a good sound track.   It is a visual delight.   This is the direction I'm heading with my own journals.    Her sketches are superb.  Her use of stencils in backgrounds and her layouts and use of color are awesome.      I've been an Anne Bagby, Pam Carriker,  Rice Freeman-Zachary, fan.   Particularly in their use of original drawing and sketches of really interesting and arresting faces.       But Roz has it all over the bunch.       By the way she is looking for faces to draw and if you think you have an interesting face, sent it to her in an email and she might draw you.    LOL     How brave is that?  The article with the link above can take you to her blog for more information.