I had never wanted to do a potrait until I saw that. What really got me was the fabric, I want to do fabric! lol
So I signed up for a portrait class by Carol Shelkin, who is also an AMAZING artist and one of the things I'm really hoping to learn is how to use different colors interchangable.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carol Shelkin

So now, I had to pick a subject and since I had made a promise to my youngest daughter that she would get a mosaic when she was 9... this is for her.

The Queen of dress up, I'll work on her face at class and then eventually I'll incorporate it into a larger piece.

OMGOODNESS. Her work IS amazing. All I can say here is: just look where that bowling ball has taken you. If anyone can do this portrait of your DD, YOU can. This is gonna be a wonderful ride. You amaze me!!!

Oh Man! Did you see the peacock she did?!! It would be so amazing if we could all take this course together!!!!ahhhh, one day! I think this one of your daughter is gonna be amazing!!!! I REALLY like this gals style! It sure would be super cool to learn! I think you and Slow have it over me as you both have artist eyes/training for color!

I LOVE her Peacock - one of my all time favs

it was surely an intense workshop but I really really learned alot about colors and value...

here's my progress from the class

Definitely a likeness, girlie. Good show. Are you doing this on mesh, and w/you do the whole image? I can just imagine how beautiful the whole thing w/be w/your hands on the work - PRICELESS! What I can't imagine is how hard this must be. When I was painting in oil, I never attempted anything but still life - w/NEVER attempted a portrait, so I soooo admire anyone who mosaics portraits. I know YOU CAN DO IT, though.

Because this class is so intense I decided just to simplfy just so I could concentrate on the lesson. I figured on considering this a "study" for the larger piece. I really am going to see everying differently now - lights and darks, hills and valleys. Its going to finally allow me to depict shape and the illusion of 3d. as another study I want to tray and depict a ball just to push myself to exchange colors in the gradation changes... course not all my future art will be so complicated but surely it will all improve just for the understanding I have gained.

I made a little progress on her yesterday (I want shard chickens today though)

The class I took was both about seeing the plains of the face AND about seeing the values of shading AND learning to use the color wheel as well.
You try to learn to see just the shapes of the different shades and combine them to make the illusion of a face. Its actually very helpful to work upside down.

lots of info packed into 2 and a half days, most of which I'm just now grasping

Yep - just like the painting classes I took - shapes, values - and the upside down technique worked for me.

I would likely drive myself nuts doing this with paint since you have infinite degrees of value you can mix as ooposed to "the glass is the glass" lol

here's a little more today

Oooooooooooh, NT: This is sooooooooooo good. It is gonna be a whopping success for sure. Looks just like her. This is so much fun - watching you at work.

This just Blows me outta the water!!! My battleship has just been sunk!! Here I am just holding on till my surgery...but now I have all these ideas floating in my head for future projects...you guys are always so inspiring, it really is a lifeline for me right now!!!
It is sooo amazing to see how even with all those different colors,(which I LOVE!)you can see the lines of the whole face...I Just Love it!!!

Yeah, just look at the 3-D effect of the nose and lips. Huuuuuuurrry.

I am speechless! I am so awed by Carole's work that I'm thinking about packing up my tools, selling off my glass stock and giving up mosaics forever! And YOU Nice....your work is fabulous also! I'm sure having instruction through a class helps but let's face it....you have true talent girl! I'm almost embarrassed to post any of my stuff....lol. Very, very nice!

ADDIE: NOOOOOOOOO - that's MY line. I can't believe you said that. Anyone who can pull off that d.r. wall treatment should NEVER feel embarrassed. Your work is so beautiful. Don't you DARE even think negative thoughts about it. Yes, NT has some kind of talent, but so do YOU. Like I've said b/f, when I see NT's work, I want to quit!!!, but I know we're in no competition around here - everyone is just doing the things we love in our own special way. Keep up the wonderful work. NT - this just knocks my socks off. I'm watching you, and I w/be checking back anxiously when I return - leaving tomorrow morn for PV.

Have a wonderful and artfilled retreat Slow! I can't wait to see what this trip inspires.

Addiesue, it really was this class that changed my art for the better, seriously! it was about learning to see shapes and putting them together to build an illusion - I'm using it on my chickens as much as this portrait.

Still need to do a background yet but I'm waiting on an order

OHMYGOODNESS - you REALLY did it. I'll bet that child is dancing all over the place to see this. WONDERFUL. I can almost hear the jingle jangle of those belly dancin' beads. You really put that together in a hurry, too. You're something else. It's just spectacular!!!!!

WOW!!! Like Slow and all of us say::: SPECTACULAR!!! Amazing! Now I wanna take that course! How about you teach a class at Slow's and we all meet up there!!!heh heh! You can even bring your clacking cat!lol!(It was you wasn't it? You know you're a mosaic addict when...)

DONE! whew!!!

Amazing, just bloody amazing!

LITTLE GIRLS DO RULE!!!!!! WhooHoo!!!! What a great background! I LOVE how the hair really looks like hair, all flowing....AMAZING!!

I'm speechless! I just called my husband in from the other room to look at this. Your work is truly breathtaking! First, the concept itself, a girl playing dress-up, is poignant and instantly makes the viewer feel nostalgic, whether for her own childhood or her daughter's. And the execution is outstanding. I love the different textures within the mosaic. Very, very well done!!!!

thank you Jenel, calam j and mattie

Thyme, How did you grout so that the beads didn't get covered up and splotchy? Did you protect them somehow, or just wipe off the grout once you had finished? They're so sparkly!

what you see in the crown is ballchain and its not grouted, - I hav had no problems grouting ball chain in the past but since I was adding polymer clay in the recesses I decided just to avoid it.

On her scarf I used glass beads and freshwater pearls, niether has ever given me problems in the past. I wipe them off like any tess and then expose them further with a dry tooth brush if need be.

At a loss for words here. You l'il artist!!! She's lovely, and your creativity on the framing - well - what can I say? And what does the little Queen say about this one?

hey Lady - welcome back!!! Breda LOVES this, she's very pleased

You know I am not a fan of ptmosaic but girl it real looks like her .I realy like this .You do such good work!It is over the top