Another Inktense Portrait

[Hawkmoth]

Another portrait using just one Inktense colour (I'm using the block for washes now, as the pencil was getting used up very quickly). Inktense block+pencil on NOT watercolour paper, A4 size.

I built up watercolour-style washes gradually before adding detail with the pencil direct onto the paper. I'm quite pleased with it. I'm definitely finding men easier to paint than women.

 

[Schuee]

An excellent portrait, Claudia. You are skilled at depicting people.

 

[Brad]

Very nice portrait, I find men easier to paint also. I think it's because they have more "landmarks".

 

[Enyaw]

very well done .. great

 

[Artyczar]

Wow! This is excellent! You have quite a lot of talent, and there's a definitive style to your work. I sure love the sepia tones you do.

 

[Bartc]

Very good portrait!

Not sure why InkTense is your current muse. It's good stuff and I used to use it when doing watercolors. Just not sure why you find this any different from watercolor pencil or watercolor pens. Both of those offer everything InkTense does for graded washes or strong lines.

FWIW, the only difference in working I ever found with InkTense - and it's a major selling point - was that once dried after wetting it was indelible. So made a great underpainting medium for watercolor washes. Great for "line and wash" type paintings for me.

 

[Queen Bee]

Great portrait. Nice job with the facial hair.

 

[Perry]

Great portrait!

 

[Triduana]

Another great portrait! Love those tones and the expression.

It's interesting, whenever I've tried portraits I've found men easier to draw too.

 

[chammi]

I really like your bristly fellow. You have achieved the essence of the person. Excellent work.

 

[KreativeK]

Very accomplished, Claudia, we can sense his personality. I'd much prefer sketching men also.

 

[Hawkmoth]

Very good portrait!

Not sure why InkTense is your current muse. It's good stuff and I used to use it when doing watercolors. Just not sure why you find this any different from watercolor pencil or watercolor pens. Both of those offer everything InkTense does for graded washes or strong lines.

FWIW, the only difference in working I ever found with InkTense - and it's a major selling point - was that once dried after wetting it was indelible. So made a great underpainting medium for watercolor washes. Great for "line and wash" type paintings for me.

Hi Bartc
To me there is a big difference. Watercolour pens aren't in the running. I find them really difficult to use. If you apply them directly onto paper, you are stuck with one dark value and a hard line to work with. I'm just not skilled enough for that. Pencils are much more forgiving.
And why Inktense pencils in particular? Four reasons:
1) Exactly what you mentioned - once an area has been wet and dried, it's permanent. With normal watercolour pencils I'm constantly churning up previous layers or areas of colour. (I tend to rework areas a lot). With Inktense I don't have to worry. I can put a light wash over a dark area and nothing moves.
2) Inktense does not fade as much when drying, which makes it easier to judge how dark to go.
3) This particular Inktense colour is quite transparent in light washes. It gives a clean feel. Dark watercolour pencils (and some other Inktense colours) are much more opaque and I don't like the effect.)
4) I absolutely love this particular colour. There is no similar colour in any of my other watercolour pencil sets (and I have several).
Hope that explains it. I use regular watercolour pencils (with watercolour paints) for landscapes, botanicals and insect drawings, but for this style of portrait, I really like the Inktense pencil.

 

[Bartc]

Hi Bartc
To me there is a big difference. Watercolour pens aren't in the running. I find them really difficult to use. If you apply them directly onto paper, you are stuck with one dark value and a hard line to work with. I'm just not skilled enough for that. Pencils are much more forgiving.
And why Inktense pencils in particular? Four reasons:
1) Exactly what you mentioned - once an area has been wet and dried, it's permanent. With normal watercolour pencils I'm constantly churning up previous layers or areas of colour. (I tend to rework areas a lot). With Inktense I don't have to worry. I can put a light wash over a dark area and nothing moves.
2) Inktense does not fade as much when drying, which makes it easier to judge how dark to go.
3) This particular Inktense colour is quite transparent in light washes. It gives a clean feel. Dark watercolour pencils (and some other Inktense colours) are much more opaque and I don't like the effect.)
4) I absolutely love this particular colour. There is no similar colour in any of my other watercolour pencil sets (and I have several).
Hope that explains it. I use regular watercolour pencils (with watercolour paints) for landscapes, botanicals and insect drawings, but for this style of portrait, I really like the Inktense pencil.

Oh, I'm in total agreement about the value of InkTense. It's very good stuff!
On #1, one of my painting friends uses them a lot pretty much like you use watercolor pencils. He uses a waterbrush to draw out the pigment from the "line" the pen paints. Same as you would with InkTense. I don't use them myself, so can only comment on what I've seen him do repeatedly. And he gets lovely effects. But in the end, it's just another way to lay down watercolor that is soluble, unlike the indelible quality of InkTense.

 

[Hawkmoth]

Thanks for your kind comments everyone, they are very much appreciated. The last two portraits I've tried since this one (both women) have been total failures so I'm feeling a bit demoralised right now. Your support is therefore very welcome to cheer me up!

Oh, I'm in total agreement about the value of InkTense. It's very good stuff!
On #1, one of my painting friends uses them a lot pretty much like you use watercolor pencils. He uses a waterbrush to draw out the pigment from the "line" the pen paints. Same as you would with InkTense. I don't use them myself, so can only comment on what I've seen him do repeatedly. And he gets lovely effects. But in the end, it's just another way to lay down watercolor that is soluble, unlike the indelible quality of InkTense.

I admire people who can use the pens skillfully. They are so effective when used well, ideal for sketches which are quick but dramatic. I have a book of sketches of Venice by Allan Kirk, many of which are done with watersoluble pen and a waterbrush. Very nice clean, minimalist work. Is any of your friend's work online where I could have a look?

I started out my art journey with coloured pencils though, and used them for a couple of years before I got into painting, so pencils are definitely my comfort zone. I do some watercolour painting now but I still can't quite let go of the pencils - I use watercolour pencils combined with watercolours! If I took up sculpture I'd probably find a way to use pencils for that too!!

 

[Vivien]

Excellent portrait! Im a great fan of Inktense too, but I havent used the blocks, just the pencils. Do you like the blocks better than the pencils?

 

[Hawkmoth]

Excellent portrait! Im a great fan of Inktense too, but I havent used the blocks, just the pencils. Do you like the blocks better than the pencils?

Thanks Vivien. I generally use the pencils on paper (blocks on fabric) but for laying the background washes on these portraits I got the matching block out to save my pencil (which was getting very short!)

 

[Nufocus]

Perfect!

 

[ColorEnthusiast]

Well done portrait, I like the range of values and the expression that makes it interesting.

 

[Vivien]

Thanks Vivien. I generally use the pencils on paper (blocks on fabric) but for laying the background washes on these portraits I got the matching block out to save my pencil (which was getting very short!)

Ive done lots of paintings using watercolor for large background areas and Intense Pencil work for foreground and focal areas. Do you think the Inktense Blocks work better for large areas than wastercolor? Im deciding whether to invest in some Inktense Blocks?

 

[Hawkmoth]

Ive done lots of paintings using watercolor for large background areas and Intense Pencil work for foreground and focal areas. Do you think the Inktense Blocks work better for large areas than wastercolor? Im deciding whether to invest in some Inktense Blocks?

I don't think I've ever used them on paper before, just recently for these portraits (to match the pencil I was using, same colour). Laying the wash felt the same as watercolour, no real difference at all. You need to make sure the block pigment is completely dissolved first though, as little 'crumbs' of it can hide in the brush and make dark streaks.

Not sure if I'll use the blocks more often now or not. I normally just use them for underpainting on fabric. I'm still learning how to use my watercolour paints so I should probably just stick with that.