Palette Selection? The Subject Dictates Not Some Artist Long Dead

Free hand draw-in of Ruby for palette selection.

A sketch painted for an afternoon of color play.  I had a palette of reds in  mind and wanted to test it out.  I used Burnt Sienna for this five minute starter sketch.  It's livelier than Burnt Umbra and an old time favorite of mine.  No likeness was required. I have no doubt that the short amount of time it took me to get a reasonably drawing  for this experiment was a result  of my thirty minute morning free hand drawing sessions.

Likeness was not the goal of this exercise, putting together a palette was.  

At the end of the day, Lemon Yellow; Cad Yel Med, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Med, TRO, Quinacrodone Violet and Ultramarine blue were on the glass.  I've tried the various limited palettes other artists use, but I have never found that the subject I was painting was compatible; my subjects and their world dictate my palette. These colors belong to Ruby.

Mr. Henry Kissinger or Mr. Spencer Tracy? One sketch leads to another. 

NOTE:  Mechanical leads of the same softness as a Berol/General  pencil leave a lighter mark no matter how hard you press.  Berol leads give a darker dark, but also leave a grainy effect--suitable for older skin. It could be the nature of the leads--or the texture of the Strathmore Drawing paper?  Just something I noticed over the last weeks.  I liked the effect for Mr. Kissinger. I didn't for the younger people I've sketched.  

Say Cheeseburgers!

Say Cheeseburgers, graphite, 6 x 8"  TMDD Series

The biggest smile you ever saw.  The smile portrait artists never do. The one I was most curious about. It involved all the muscles around the mouth, an excellent exercise in anatomy.  A smile this wide distorts the nose, the cheeks, the chin and jaw. For most of the drawing I used an HB or an H3--just the lead I thoughtlessly  picked out of the box. Then I wanted darker--I always want darker--so I got the 6B.  I shouldn't have.  Working fast with no time to fuss blending , the two leads didn't mix well.  Drawing fast, keep it simple.  --I might do this woman again. I'd like another crack at those muscles. If you can do them in action, you can do them at rest.