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Artistry for the Brave

Hilma Josal
  • Artistry for the Brave
  • Dance of the Brave
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Mona Lisa

Hilma Josal December 12, 2019

One of my life goals for learning is to copy the masters. Here is my Badass Mona Lisa layer 1. So far, here’s what I’ve learned:

  1. Every line is coming and going from somewhere and very predictable and in relationships with one another, like a fun puzzle.

  2. Primary colors: green, red, blue.

  3. Many things are out of proportion, yet it’s good: cleavage crack is too high, landscape has unknown burnt umber wedges in the lower right, hand size is too small relative to her head, forward shoulder doesn’t go with her head, shoulders are too small and round, and he loves clothing and musculature.

  4. His hands rock.

  5. Surprisingly modern fantasy background, like The Last Unicorn.

  6. Surprisingly quintessential medieval princess outfit.

Questions:

What was he mastering and trying to improve the four years he toted it around? Layering with better pigments? I heard on YouTube that he broke the lean to fat rule, and that it was renowned for its color, and was playing with it for years as he traveled.

My Model:

My awesome model is my cousin, who is very beautiful and an honor to draw. I’ve always thought she looked a little bit like Mona Lisa in the mouth, eyes, eyebrows, nose, hair and I like to pretend we’re related to her.

My Process:

I don’t know what color or how I’m going to draw her hair yet.

I pushed her to the right of my canvas to make it more pleasing to my eye. I had to make up a couple inches of landscape.

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Zeek

Hilma Josal December 8, 2019

I learned how to see different colors of black thanks to this painting. Once I figured out that Ultramarine Green Shade was the secret color in this picture, things finally started working for me.

First, I thought I saw black. Then, I thought it was brown. Then tried purple, then green, then gray.

The answer was “blue” ontop of black, or diluted with gray or pink or turquoise.

Some problems I chose to leave: 1. The left eye being too big. 2. The muddy ground, but I hope to add some blades of grass still.

Every painting I am getting better. I go to sleep excited and want to try first thing when I wake.

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