practicing small format portraits

[Ragno]

I have continued practicing small-sized portraits. This type of practice has helped me a lot to control paint thinning and better understand spray pressures. Cheap practice, very little paint is used, and very entertaining.

 

[Ragno]

The interesting part for me is choosing well-known characters and trying to make them recognizable, which I don't always succeed, but that's the thing!

 

[Ragno]

another example.

 

[Nightwish]

Looks great your doing way better than me with portraits

 

[Ragno]

Looks great your doing way better than me with portraits

I'm glad you like it

 

[Kingpin]

2 great subjects you chose there, and very well executed, I want to try a lot more small paintings to try and improve my overall skills.

nicely painted and very recognisable

 

[bex]

if you want a good cheap canvas buy a pack of plastic playing cards off amazon - i paint on those all the time. great for small scale work and they are really cheap you get 52 canvases for about £2.

 

[Kingpin]

if you want a good cheap canvas buy a pack of plastic playing cards off amazon - i paint on those all the time. great for small scale work and they are really cheap you get 52 canvases for about £2.

That's a great idea, thanks Bex

 

[bex]

That's a great idea, thanks Bex

They honestly work great, scuff them up with a little sand paper, then paint you can even clearcoat if you wanted to. And you can also store them in the little box they came in so you always have a mini portable portfolio with you.

 

[tatocorvette]

Those look great! I couldn't paint those in a wall mural.
Ian, that's an idea! Paint Lemmy on the back of the Ace of Spades!

Thanks,
Ismael

 

[Kingpin]

Those look great! I couldn't paint those in a wall mural.
Ian, that's an idea! Paint Lemmy on the back of the Ace of Spades!

Thanks,
Ismael

Actually that's a brilliant idea

I just found a pack of cards too


@bex do you prime the cards first?

 

[tatocorvette]

See how easily we can derail any thread? It is our natural talent!

 

[bex]

Actually that's a brilliant idea

I just found a pack of cards too
View attachment 89656

@bex do you prime the cards first?

the ones I use are plain black on the back and made of thin plastic, the backs of them have no pattern or markings on so I just scuff them with sand paper and spray clear adhesion promoter.
but if you are using a paper card pack which has a pattern on you could just prime them to create a suitable surface.

 

[azarel444]

Im a bit late to this but there are also blank playing cards on amazon that come in a set of 180. Im going to be ordering a set for small portraits.

 

[Ragno]

Im a bit late to this but there are also blank playing cards on amazon that come in a set of 180. Im going to be ordering a set for small portraits.

An option, which seems interesting to me, would be to take recycled metal sheets, for example from old appliances, they usually have a very thin thickness and are easily cut with kitchen scissors, you cut the desired size and have a non-porous surface ideal for practicing. and cheap. I think it could be very interesting because that way you practice on something that is more similar to a vehicle, helmet or real object and thus improve pressure and trigger control to avoid spider legs. The other day I did it with the casing of an old gas heater and I took out a few sheets that will come in handy to make a few little drawings.

 

[azarel444]

An option, which seems interesting to me, would be to take recycled metal sheets, for example from old appliances, they usually have a very thin thickness and are easily cut with kitchen scissors, you cut the desired size and have a non-porous surface ideal for practicing. and cheap. I think it could be very interesting because that way you practice on something that is more similar to a vehicle, helmet or real object and thus improve pressure and trigger control to avoid spider legs. The other day I did it with the casing of an old gas heater and I took out a few sheets that will come in handy to make a few little drawings.

That's an awesome idea because different surfaces sure do produce different results with different paint and pressures. The smoother it is the easier to spider. I. Gonna have to give this a go. It will like you said be great for getting used to similar metal projects.

 

[tatocorvette]

Scale models are great for that... just saying....
Get a cheap diecast toy car and repaint it...

 

[azarel444]

Scale models are great for that... just saying....
Get a cheap diecast toy car and repaint it...

Good idea, im heading to pickup some toys for a birthday party tomorrow. Im gonna find me a toy to repaint.

 

[tatocorvette]

Extra points if it is a Corvette...
Funny how we make plastic models of metal cars and diecast metal models of plastic real cars...

 

[azarel444]

Extra points if it is a Corvette...
Funny how we make plastic models of metal cars and diecast metal models of plastic real cars...

humans sure are strange creatures