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The Right Combination

Achieving skin tones is a balancing act of stroke and blend to get the right combination. This is a pencil study focusing on the balance of tone referencing the African-American ethnicity.

There was a photograph from years ago in a National Geographic magazine which stuck in my mind. The photograph was of an African tribal woman adorned in gold hammered jewelry and turquoise. It was an absolutely beautiful image. Searching the archives for this photo I came up short. I am going to have to reconstruct the image from memory.

Before I can piece the complete image together it will be necessary for me to start with skin tones. Blending and softening the transition of dark and midtones to appear seamless. I chose a photo reference of this face as I liked the head position, the eyes looking downward in a reserved fashion, and the lighting against an all black background. A young, soft, innocence.

The only white areas reflecting light are on the nose and portions of the lips which lifts them from the paper. The skin has a sheen to it which is created with blending midtone to dark. Transitioning from the forehead, eyelids and cheek bone. The ear, the area just under the nose and chin have a sheen just a bit darker than the previous midtone.

I am using several photo references to complete this picture in my mind of a young African tribal woman. There is a head cover, earrings, nose ring and necklace. The search continues for this rare jewel of Africa.

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