My Mom's Portrait

I'm a little terrified to both do this and post this in case it goes to **** but here goes. this is something I've really needed to do a while... just work out some things. I miss her still so much.



Anyways, I drew it out in pencil (which I've been told is a big no-no with charcoal) and this is the first bit of vine charcoal. Hopefully the pencil drawing disappears in time, you can still see it. The vine was too bulky and the charcoal pencils too permanent to really commit the drawing in that. I think she was 18 or 19 in this picture?

This is my second portrait of a person and the other one was me.

It looks lovely so far, Laur And, from the photos you've shared with us, it's a striking likeness, in spirit as well as form. Reminds me a lot of you

Thanks! I've always been told I look like my mom. I can kind of see it lol.





About an hour in or so. Now it's going to start getting tedious.

I love it, Laur. <3 The drawing of her looks wonderful.

It looks gorgeous so far, Laur! I can't wait to see how it turns out. I remember you posting pictures of your mom before, and she was really, really beautiful. You are doing her great justice with your portrait

WOW! Laur, it looks amazing.

you are so incredibly talented.

I bet she is watching you with a loving spirit as you create her image. Beautiful beginning.

Thanks so much guys. It really means a lot.





Sorry I do a lot of step by step stuff posting. But it really helps me to compare and see what's getting off, etc. (Which is much easier to see on the computer for some reason. Like the eye right now)

I think that's about 3 hours or so?

I must plug charcoal a moment here. No one uses it and it's soooooo much easier to do b/w pictures in charcoal than pencil. so much faster and you can get so many nice strokes in when you use one of those blending stick thingies. This is General's brand charcoal pencils (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, and white) and General's brand vine charcoal.

I'm just happy it's actually starting to look like her. I had a brief omg, it looks nothing like her moment about an hour ago but it's coming back together now.

Wow, that's amazing!

ETA: I love how you post the step by step pictures!

That dress is all lace. It's gonna be funnnn.

It is GORGEOUS so far. Seriously loving it. Charcoal really works wonderfully for you.

Oh my goodness, Laur. That is amazing, really. You have captured her eyes so, so well.

You work really well in charcoal! THe portrait is coming along beautifully and yes, I love seeing the step by step process.

I absolutely LOVE the step by step process. This turning out amazing Laur.

Any update? This is amazing.

Thanks so much guys! I haven't gotten to work on it yet lately. I have a commission I'm trying to finish plus I started another people picture (BAD idea lol)

I am overall mostly done with her face, I think. A couple things here and there that I need to fix but overall mostly done. Her hair needs some serious work and that dress... that dress will be the death of me. It is literally all lace at the top with lots of intricate flowers. And of course the background needs to be done.