For this exercise, seeing as I had freedom of who I painted and where I painted them I wanted to place a younger version of my mother in our living room sitting on the sofa by the window, as the way that the light shines into the room, the sofa contrasts still covered in darkness as it is just underneath the windowsill. The idea of a younger version of my mother came from a photograph of her on my parent’s honeymoon, in her cousin’s caravan with short coral curtains and with my mother resting a book on her chest and lounging across the sofa in bright clothing, which I thought would contrast well against our dark living room.
The medium I chose was actually ink, as I had used acrylic for all the previous portraits, and enjoyed using ink for the figure studies. I also in cooperated watercolour to represent the bright highlights and colours of the clothing.
I am aware that the ink does look quite messy, but I thought that it would look effective in a simple interior, and would give a texture and surface to the painting. Also, i believe the fluidity of the ink worked well in creating depth where my mother sank into the sofa, and where there was a gradient of tone with changing of light.
SOPHIE FAWCETT'S OCA LEARNING LOG 