(7.28.2020) Jodie Turner-Smith by Io Perl-Strahan

This portrait of actor Jodie Turner-Smith was an experiment in technique After sketching her face in pencil, I filled in the values of her face using watercolor. I haven't done a lot of multimedia work in the past, so I tried this method in order to see how it would affect the richness of color and texture of the skin. I proceeded to cover the watercolor sketch with layers of stippling in purple, pink, and blue. In the progress photos, you can see how I balanced the colors as I went along, so I could feel out the most lifelike shading despite the surreal color choice. 

Ultimately, I liked how this experiment turned out because the watercolor layer gives extra depth and makes the shading super smooth. I like that it isn't noticeable in the finished product. However, this method caused problems as well. In the ink stippling drawings that I usually make, I have the flexibility to self-correct shapes and features as I work since each dot is not a big commitment. This process was less organic because I had to be committed to the initial face sketch, which was not a perfect representation of Turner-Smith. I'm excited to figure out how to fix this problem and to try other ways of incorporating watercolor. I might add a watercolor background to this piece, which is why i'm calling it somewhat finished. xoxo io