Even More Fun with Sharpies

I was challenged by an artist friend to use one of the classical images I have and/or have worked on and create it in this new-to-me dot/line/color technique.  Challenge accepted!

This, by far, took more effort and experimentation than on the other pieces I've done.  Part of that is because this was a profile view, and I was trying to convey classical elements (crown, hairstyle, modelled pose, etc.).  

Overall, this came out well.  I'm pleased that the hair draws the focus to her face (you see the hair first, then the face).  I like the fact that one can connect the face with the body once the neck is seen, and that the impression of the neckline and dress can also be figured out.  I especially like how a grey (the last color added) works to finish the piece -- at the top left.  The only thing I might have done differently is to add length to her nose.  But the pen turned another direction that didn't allow for an alteration.    

As a footnote, in using a classically-painted image it is interesting that most people who posed for paintings in their eras typically had expressions that were quite cold--just as in the source image used for this effort.  That said, I think the expression in this piece remains cold, even with the bright and colorful treatment.  Also, I didn't come away with a feeling of delight when it was done.  That said, this piece reminds me of Alphonse Mucha (a painter during the Art Nouveau period).  He used wavy line work typically outside the person's body outline.  It was the common ornamentation in art work of that period.  I loved Mucha's work when I first saw it, while I've grown in appreciation of other artists over the years.  Why I'm reminded of him is that these days, I'm doing just the opposite of him--using wavy line within a character's face/body.

This evening as I look back on the last two weeks of work and the change from what I was doing before then, the shift has been dramatic!  I've been loving the new way of working/seeing and have had such fun doing the work and watching it evolve!  I'm planning to go bigger and that means changing tools and substrates.  As I move forward, it's exciting to imagine the possibilities.  Stay tuned!