Once in a blue moon it happens: you sit in front of your easel with in mind a clear idea of what you will paint. From the pencil sketch to the final "fignolage " (ugly french word meaning "last touch ups") everything goes in a perfect linear way, no hesitation, no struggle, et voila! Done.
Well this time it wasn't meant to be. I wanted to paint a two headed mermaid but it took several nose jobs, different hair textures or tail color changes before I was finally satisfied with the result. The important part is to keep on going and trust the process: the painting is in there and will appear if you have patience and try just a little longer.
Sketch and light wash all over. I apply the colors for the underpainting of the skin.
I am planning to give her (or them) blue hair so my favorite trick is to use orange, the complementary color, as an underlayer.
I change my mind about the eyes of the girl on the right and she has to be blind for a minute so I can repaint her eyes open.
I add a heart on her belly, floating above her hands.
I paint the background darker and darker and decide to go for a tonal color palette, mainly blues and greens.
And now I am not liking the red heart anymore and I want something larger to replace it.
I cover the red for a while to make is easier to decide what color I would like to replace it with. I also fiddle with the hair texture because this look seems too cartoony for me.
I think I figured out her hair but the whole image seems boring. I push my easel in a corner of the room and try to forget it for a while but everytime I walk by I glance at it hoping that the solution will reveal itself to me.
And this is what I finally decide: to change the tail color to goldfish orange and add more texture to it and replace the heart with a pink lotus, one of my favorite symbols (yes, I am shamelessly using peace and/or love at any occasion)
I make a quick tear-drop shaped stencil and paint gold drops on the black background. The final touch is to print on her chest "Be Like Water", a quote dear to me, inspired by one of the principles of the Tao.
Here is a detail of my final version of the twins.
And I couldn't resist to show you this very different take on Mermaids Siamese Twins...
...the four arms and four boobs kind, made by fabric artist Keighty Crochet.
so lovely isabelle!! love love love the gold raindrops!
Posted by: deborah | Monday, 03 December 2012 at 11:54 AM
So interesting to see the stages of this, and I think where you ended up is lovely :)
Posted by: Lpbaker | Monday, 03 December 2012 at 02:31 PM
Your process is so fascinating Isabelle. Thanks, Paul
Posted by: Paul Moshay | Monday, 03 December 2012 at 11:41 PM
thank you for sharing, inspiring.
Posted by: corrine estrada | Tuesday, 11 December 2012 at 10:17 AM
Beautiful artwork! I wish I had a fraction of the versatility and talent you clearly have.
Posted by: Austin Auto Accident Lawyer | Sunday, 10 February 2013 at 03:25 AM
Thank you for the compliments, they are very much appreciated, painting being somewhat of a lonely sport (but not quite as much since I can post my work online!).
Posted by: Isabelle | Sunday, 10 February 2013 at 07:43 PM
Your post is beautiful, so inspiring. Thank you...
Posted by: Daniel | Sunday, 10 February 2013 at 11:46 PM
I love the step by step process. Your work is very ethereal and dreamy. Beautiful and enchanting work.
Posted by: Shelley Whiting | Sunday, 27 October 2013 at 11:59 PM