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Previous Art Blog for January

1 January 2016

752 Boy - Food colouring portrait painting on watercolour paper

Image Size:

A4 (approx. 30 cm × 21 cm = 12" × 8")

I discovered food colouring soon after I started airbrushing. It is very good for testing an airbrush to see that there are no obstructions before loading up with ink or paint. It is also great to learn with, as there is no need to thin it. It gives you more time to concentrate on operating the airbrush without having to worry about clogging. It also comes in the basic colouring range including a sort of black. It is also re-wettable, that is, it doesn't dry waterproof, which can be a bit of trial and error because there is no guarantee what the previous colours will do when they get wet again.

This piece was created on quality watercolour paper that didn't fall apart when saturated. I started with a pen drawing, then, as I often do after starting a piece, I changed my mind. I wet the paper and painted the hair with a brush. When that was dry, I then airbrushed the skin tones and shirt.

Next came the fun part. I sprayed a variety of areas using a spray bottle filled with water. It turned out to be an interesting way to make freckles as well as textures for other areas such as the shirt and some shadows.

752 Boy

Food colouring portrait painting on watercolour paper

Image Size:

A4 (approx. 30 cm × 21 cm = 12" × 8")