First attempt doing a portrait using gouache, friends Tim & Connie...8"x 8"

Gearing up to build an itinerary for some possible 

online teaching offerings & opportunity, and my son 

Jason advised I demonstrate my principles apply to 

painting in general, not just my preference for painting

the landscape or outdoor subject.  So, thought I'd do a 

few portraits perhaps.  Of course anyone familiar with

my blog knows my painting interest revolves around

a fascination for light...and thus many subjects, though

my sense of celebration when painting comes from

painting outdoors.

This is my first attempt using gouache to paint
portraits...which I think I'll find interesting.

Started this one tonight of our friends Tim and Connie
...8"x 8" in size.

Began with mixing up a grayish neutral using casein
then proceeding over the top of that.  So, a beginning
here.  You can see the block-in of Connie starts with
shadows and light revealing the planes of the face,
and this is how Tim began...as well, so you see
something of where it starts...and where it goes.

I did not begin with a drawing, but just squinted my
eyes and seeing shapes, values, color...and start
right in painting.

Here a closeup of Tim's face thus far-

...by the way, in case of curiosity...no black pigment
was used.  My dark here is mixed using Prussian blue,
Alizarin Crimson, and a touch of Ice blue...(all Holbein)