Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #16 ~ Hair step by step Tutorial

Ok so we have a new challenge on the Paperbabe Stamps Blog all about hair,
yes, messy hair, funny hair, big hair so I went for inky hair... tee hee

I've created a little step by step tutorial for all those asking... 
I do plan on more classes and videos, coming soon!

I thought I would have a go at using my brusho watercolour powders with perfect pearls spray with the cling film technique mastered by Helen in the Craft Stamper this month. I know I even had a chance to read this months mag too lol!

I so love this close up, how yum are those random colours and hints of sparkly pearlescence.

So to begin I placed my hair templates over my background piece to decide which area I would use. 

tip: I use a little bit of pretty washi tape to keep the templates parts together, they can of course be mixed with each other but I find this so easy.

I've added the head and torso templates to arrange the sort of portrait I'm going for...

I used a pencil and started with template number 1, I've placed it at a slight angle and drew around, I've added little reference marks for the central line.

Next I drew the fringe, I have tape already on this piece for storage so it helps with this step too. Used same pencil.

Then I just needed to draw the face and the neck and shoulders.

Using some gesso watered down, not too runny but just enough to give a smokey finish. This next step will help to unify the background colour and give you a lovely surface to paint the face. 

I used some matte acrylic paints to paint the skin tones. I've added shadows under the hairline and jawline, keeping the left side lighter as if the light is falling from the left.

Notice that I haven't painted the skin all the way down the torso just because I'm planing cutting a little paper top for this area.

I went in with a few tones of acrylic paint for my background, I didn't want it too dark but I did want it to frame the hair and make it pop.

I think it went dark... I literally added paint to my brush and mixed the colours on my paper.

I cut some of the surplus brusho background paper for my top and die cut a little scallop for her frilly trim.

Next is stamping the face, It's so easy to line up the individual images on the template first and stamp the two eyes together. Look... I'm reusing the fringe template but as a mask for stamping the eyes. I painted the whites of the eye next. I repositioned the face template to add reference marks for the nose and mouth.

I keep these post it masks on the index sheet of my stamp set to reuse again and again, who has time to cut those tiny things out every time? but they look funny in place like an unusual mask. I've stamped the ring of the iris in a grey ink.

For her eyes, I've used a water soluble green pencil and brought the colour out with a little water. I've used a brown pencil to add shadow and definition to the facial features. I've used my current favourite white posca pen to add white highlights.

Arty shot... I decided to ink the edges of her top with distress ink and added stitching to the hem of the trim.

I also used the brown pencil to add shadows to the hair behind her neck.

So here she is, I will most likely add a special sentiment... more on that next week. I've noticed too, how I must like long necks, they seem to appear on most of my portraits! lol!

Just a close up of the shimmeriness that's still present on her top reminds me of marble.

and in her hair YUM!

Well I have a busy week ahead as next week will be Paperbabe Stamps July release, I hope you pop by for sneak peeks starting Tuesday!

Enjoy a wonderfully creative Day!

HuGs Kim x