Yesterday, my kids and I visited a museum near the Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace). We took a stroll on the palace grounds and dropped into the bookshop to browse. There I was reminded of one of the fascinating women who lived in this palace, Queen Luise of Prussia.
I love allowing myself to be inspired by Berlin's history, so I decided to sketch Luise this morning. I painted her as sort of a transparent ghost-like figure with the Schloss and the East German TV Tower in the background. These architechtural components represent the old and the new and I pose the question of what Luise herself might have thought of Berlin today. Would she have found it intriguing and exciting as I do, or would she find the changes difficult?
To make the background, I gessoed the paper with a palette knife. Then, I pressed B/W pictures of the palace and TV Tower into the gesso and cut through the still wet paint with with the palette knife, giving it a distressed look. Afterwards, I painted the surface yellow.
Face # 10
To make the background, I gessoed the paper with a palette knife. Then, I pressed B/W pictures of the palace and TV Tower into the gesso and cut through the still wet paint with with the palette knife, giving it a distressed look. Afterwards, I painted the surface yellow.
For Luise's face, I used charcoal and chalk pastels.
Faces #11 & 12
My daughter, age 8, did both of these studies. Although the man looks a lot like it could be her Dad, she says they are both fantasy faces.
Face #12
My son, age 10, painted Cyclops from the X-men. I love the foreshortened hand swinging for a punch. : )
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FAce 10 is wonderful! the layers and texture are visually so interesting and work well to symbolize a complex history.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie! I appreciate the encouragement and that you stopped by!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing the artwork of you and your children... I am a big X Men fan :)
ReplyDeleteKaren x
Fascinating technique in face 10, the result is beautiful, reminds me of ancient paintings.
ReplyDeleteI believe all fantasy faces take inspiration from reality, like dads :D Lively and joyful faces!
I especially like the background in your son's drawing.
What a super post, Sheila! Love the kids' world. If the man looks like Dad, does the woman look like Mom? And your creation at the top shows so much creativity. The face is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Faye! No, I don't think the second portrait looks anything like me. You can see a picture of me in the "About Me" section and decide for yourself.: )
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