I really like stylized, somewhat abstract faces because they look like people but not like a photograph. So, because today’s blogging prompt is to share the process of creating something, I thought that I would share how this picture came about. I would have shared the process of making an acrylic painting of a snowy owl, but the class that I was going to attend was canceled because of the weather.

I started the process by looking for a step by step drawing project on line, and I found one. The end result was very colorful and, I knew, with the limited palette I am using this month, my result would be far different. As a result, my painting (apparently, if you use pastels, it’s called a painting, not a drawing) was very different from the example I was shown.

I started with a drawing, which I did in graphite. I had the option of vine charcoal, but it’s very smudgy and, since my picture had a lot of detail, I chose the graphite, which doesn’t smudge as much.

This is the initial sketch in pencil. It’s a human face, but more stylized than realistic. It was fun to draw and I could see potential for it to develop a great deal of character as I add different shades (of pretty much the same color). Basically, I view the initial sketch as a guideline that will direct me to the painting that I am hoping to make.

After finishing the initial sketch, I started adding color, which included the small circles. At this point in the project, I am using soft chalk acrylics. These acrylics have a nice texture and the color can be evened by smoothing it with your finger.

The next medium that I add to this image is pastel pencils. They look like colored pencils, but the color is softer and more chalky than pencil. You can add more detail than you can with chalk pastels.

I add all of the details with colored pencils, and I ad the highlights with a white Pitt artist pen. And this is the final image. It seems like it’s almost cubist with the shape and placement of the eyes and nose. At any rate, this is as close to cubism as I’ve ever come. I found this image to be a great deal of fun to make, which is something that has been true of each of the pictures that I’ve made with this medium. I like the softness of the chalk pastel and the warmth of this color scheme. I also think that the toned paper adds to the warmth of the image.

I hope that you enjoyed watching the process of me creating this fun image. If i were to make this image in a different color scheme, what would you like to see as the dominant colors? Please add your opinions in the comments section below!