Last week I tried to show how exacting measurement in prep drawing for a watercolour portrait can work in your favour by giving reassurance of the drawing and confidence before applying paint.
I knew this painstaking method would be challenging and rather laborious for the group so this week I offered a shortcut alternative and took a tracing and transferred the drawing that way.
I was asked if I could paint someone everyone knew, to give added interest. I chose Tom Hardy and no-one knew him!
It’s not great to paint from someone else’s photograph for portraits but hey, it’s only an exercise.
I tried the one on the right at home to rehearse the points and to make sure I kinda knew what I was talking about when I came to do it in class.
The photo is a good example of high tonal contrast and three quarter pose.
The one on the left was the demo. These are half hour paintings, with a one inch flat brush.
David Reid 
They don’t know tom hardy?? Who are these people?! The one on the left is a particularly good likeness
Thanks. Yes, not a soul knew him, haha!
No-one knew him?!? Do they live in Outer Mongolia and don’t have a TV, or did none of them watch ‘Taboo’ – ? If I could reproduce your half hour portrait in a whole day I’d die happy; you are so talented. I live in Paignton and feel aggrieved that I can’t come to one of your live demos. X. Love the emails, though.
Haha, it’s an example of our broken, fractured world with no common culture đ
So kind Heather, thank you.
Fabulous work of a fabulous actor. Fancy not knowing Tom hardy !!!???
Indeed đ Thanks Rosie!