Ancestor paintover

I'm trying to practice a technique I learned at Artfest last year and make it my own. Long way from that, but this attempt was a lot better than my first. Thank you, Lisa... things didn't go so well in class, but I guess I learned enough to keep trying.
This is a higher-contrast copy of the original photo. (My grandfather is the guy seated on the far right.) Painting skin color would be tricky in any case, but man... these guys are brothers, and they're all different shades. All of them except my grandfather were long dead by the time I was born. So I'm kinda guessing what their skin tones were like in real life.
This was my first attempt at Lisa Bebi's "paintover" technique, at Artfest. (I've only had two classes so far in acrylic painting.) Not much time to experiment with mixing colors. I also did more of a wash than solid paint at the time. When I first posted that picture, Blaiz gave me the paint colors that would work for African American skin, and I practiced this week.
First, it helped to copy the photo a little darker and more high-contrast than usual. The eyes came out sharper, and the shadows didn't get blotted out so easily by the paint.

I mixed Transparent Red Iron Oxide (Golden) with Burnt Umber (DecoArt Americana) as his basic color, then mixed in a little Warm White (Americana) for the highlights. The shadows are Ultramarine Blue (Golden) blended with the basic color mix, to produce a muddied shade. It looked a little stark, so I washed it with the basic mix and that seemed to smooth things out.
This brother looked like he had more red in his skin. So I did the same basic color mix, except in a 2:1 ratio. Also washed the painted face with the 2:1 ratio.

Oh yeah -- the hair on both men was a wash of Burnt Umber and Lamp (Black) Ebony (Americana).

Not worried about the little bleed-over spots; I'm going to mess with this a little more. Then I'm going to scan the final piece and put it into a genealogy photo album.

Hey, does anyone know a way to scan something that has a transparency in it? Or do you really just need to photograph it at the appropriate angle with the right lighting? Thoughts?

But the full moon isn't until next Monday

I sure hope so. Weird stuff has been happening at the castle.


Last night, The Boy was having some Not Going to Sleep As Requested issues, having apparently forgotten how tired he was the previous day from staying up too late on Monday night. (I know. He's three and a half.) He got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and then decided to join The Husband in his office. Until he was marched back to bed.


Then I had trouble falling asleep; heartburn plus The Husband rolling over to snore in my ear. Can't escape to the extra bedroom anymore, because we got rid of the bed there convert the room into The Boy's new room. So I tried to sleep with my head at the other end of the bed, to get away from the snoring. But it was still fitful sleep.


The Husband caught about two hours of sleep before every joint in his body caught fire (bursitis, sciatica). So he got up and tried to get some work done. And he did, before The Boy woke up with a nightmare. Lately, Green and Purple have been trying to get into The Boy's room. No, I don't know what he means either.


The Husband took The Boy to day care this morning, so I could sleep a little longer. Then our dog joined in the madness and threw up on the carpet. And when I did get up and go downstairs for breakfast, I tried to drink something not meant for drinking.


It was in a regular cup!

I have decided today is some sort of magical day, the kind where if you make a wish it will come true no matter how clever, stupid or dangerous. So I'm trying to watch my step.

Making the workplace more fun

Renovations have been going on downstairs at work, a few floors away. Fortunately, I can't hear any of it, but I do pass the area as I come in. So I got to see this:

I do like my workplace.

Gone to the dark side. Back in a few

I avoided Martha Stewart's crafting line as long as I could. But I wanted to find a screw punch locally, today, preferably one that didn't cost upwards of $50. Then The Husband found out Martha makes a screw punch.
(Presentation courtesy of The Boy.) I've only seen the Japanese screw punches, the ones with the wooden handle, which I like. But this one punches paper and metal mesh, which is what I wanted. Plus, this handy feature:
The tips are stored in the head of the screw punch. I don't know if the wooden handle one has the same feature, but I know I'm less likely to lose the tips this way.

I'm going to use the screw punch to make eyelet holes, on a genealogy-related page I'm designing. So I looked around to see if there are any eyelets smaller than 1/8" (I'm new to this still) and was informed that eyelets are no longer the thing. It's brads all the way. And lots of specialty designs, like Christmas trees and ladybugs and such, in every color possible.

Which kills me: I used to hate and avoid eyelets for just this reason -- all the cutesy-ass designs. Antique gold or pewter or black for me, thanks. I have plenty of eyelets, fortunately, but it looks like I'm screwed if the Jo-Ann stores stop carrying them!

Gender-specific cheese sandwiches

The Bluebird of Testosterone visited at dinnertime tonight. The Husband asked The Boy which kind of sandwich he wanted from the local supermarket deli.

The Boy: I want a cheese sandwich.

The Husband: Grilled cheese?

The Boy: No, boy cheese.