Starting Steve Irwin!!!

Although I know I'm not done with Terri Irwin's portrait, I can't wait to get started on Steve Irwin!  

Since the photo I'm working from is in black and white, I have absolutely no color references for his face.  I've looked at other photos of him, watched him on his show all the time, but still, it's a guessing game whether I am getting it right.  

As you all know by now, this is just the first layer of pastels, but I'm liking the likeness of the portrait, and the colors, which for those artists who are following this, believe it or not, it was the color khaki, which is in the shirts, that I used as a base, along with the same skin tone I used on her and then I popped in a sienna color!  In pastels you normally don't want to mix more than three colors together because the outcome is normally a very muddy color, so I had to be careful of my color choices.  

I've had a few constructive comments on my posts so far and one came from a photographer friend of mine (whose mother is also an artist), and she told me on Terri to not make the wrinkles so prominent.  So last night I was on youtube watching videos of her and I am SO happy my friend brought up the mention of the wrinkles!  She meant it from a photography standpoint, to bring out the best in the person, as I'm sure she takes wrinkles out of photos when trying to sell.  (No one really likes to pay to see wrinkles, right?)  

Watching those videos and her comment blew me away with what I figured out.  I'm constructing this portrait, but, it never happened in real life!  I realized when Steve died, she didn't have as many wrinkles, and the photo I'm working from is years after his passing, it's not fair to Terri to make her appear older!  (Amazing how one comment can get you thinking!)  So, I made the proper changes and made her wrinkles less prominent.  I'm still not totally pleased with her face, (especially the mouth...but I'm determined to capture both of them), so I decided to start working on Steve.  I like what I have so far.  

Now, another comment from a former pastel student.  She was fascinated on how I arrived at the color for the khaki shirts.  Looking at his now (which isn't finished), I see I need to make her collar with more definition of lights and darks, perhaps enhance the stitching.  Also, having the actual shirt helped me realize a little tidbit to change.  The shirt is not seamed at the color, it is seamed in the front and along the back.  A simple, easy, but important change. 

Now as I look at the portrait, I'm thinking I  hope I have the sizes of the heads in proportion, but then, there's not much I can do about that now!  (I remember the tour guide telling us he was a huge man, tall with distinctive features.)  I was just going to do their faces, but now as I look at it, I may finish off their bodies and put them in a jungle type scene with leaves in the background.  I may, I haven't decided yet.  

As usual, since many of you do not have a google "blogger" account, you can comment in the email link I send you.  I appreciate comments.  They help me create a better portrait.  Please don't comment on her mouth though, or even the side of her face I still yet need to correct, as I KNOW I need to make changes there.  But gosh, I like how he's turning out already!!!