Win a FREE PORTRAIT!

(2 ways to enter & win)
Free portrait #1

1. FOLLOW this blog
   
2. LEAVE A COMMENT at the end of this post

Win a free charcoal portrait (drawn from your photo)

• Size...9x12
• One subject (person or pet)
• On archival quality paper - white or cream
  
• Including a black mat (ready for framing)
• Takes 2-3 weeks to complete after contest is over (depending on my workload)
• $175.00 Value!!!
  

(See examples at my website, www.melindahowardportraits.com or my Etsy store, www.melhowardportraits.etsy.com)

Here's the rules...

• Contest ends on Labor Day, September 6th
• Check back on September 7th to see if you won
• Winner will be chosen randomly, with an impartial witness
• Winner must contact me within a week or a new winner will be chosen
• The winner will email a photo to be drawn. (It will take 2-3 weeks to complete)
  
• Shipping is free for U.S. address only, if outside the U.S. There will be a shipping cost.

Free Portrait #2 -

• Details on how to win by donating $9 to help stop child trafficking...It's called 09-09-09. See the blog link for Diana Scimone or click below for details:
  

A Little Portrait Progression - No. 3

I am about 90% done with this portrait. It looks 100% done, but there are small things that need to be tweeked.

I like to step away from the drawing for a day or so at this point. Then I look at it upside down, sideways, as a picture on my computer screen, etc. It is good to look at angles that I haven't looked at before. When drawing it sometimes I don't see everything so clearly because I've been staring at it so long. When I step away for a time and then look again I see things I missed.

When I feel I'm 100% done I'll post the finished work! Thanks for looking!!!

A Little Portrait Progression - No. 2

Here is the next progression of the little baby portrait. As you see I have added some shading to his face, (still working from the left), and added more sketching to his clothes. I have filled in his eyes and I am happy with his right eye (the one on the left of the portrait). But I am still tweeking and working on his other eye.

When I finish that I will continue to work to the right and down...so his nose and left cheek will be next and then his mouth and shading on his chin. When I'm completely happy with his face I will start working on Elmo and then the baby's clothes.

I hope you are enjoying watching this cute little portrait come to life! Check back soon for more!!!

A Little Portrait Progression

Good Friday all! I am working on a small charcoal drawing to place on a cigar box purse. It's a really cute baby ...along with a friend. I thought I'd show a progression of the drawing and the cigar box purse.

This is "day one"...I've laid out the most of the drawing in a preliminary sketch and have nearly finished the hat. When working with charcoal I always work from the top-left and work my way down and right...because it is so easily smudged.

I enjoy this part...watching it start to come together and come to life! I still have plenty of tweeking to do to his face...especially his mouth, which I am not quite happy with. I want it to represent faithfully the sweetness of his little smile...with just a hint of nervousness - which is so precious.

Here is the start:










Here is the reference photo:






Don't forget to "follow" this blog to watch the progression of this drawing and other drawings to come!!!