Some of you may remember one of my Shades of Grey workshops. They were conducted way before the books and movie of that title came out and I very much prefer my take on it;-)

Here’s a little workshop video I did for Strathmore Artist Papers a few years ago.I return to this simple palette again and again, it’s my favorite and exploring the tonal values in this way is such a good exercise for creating faces.

There are several projects in my new book, Mixed Media Portraits with Pam Carriker, that deal with exploring tonal values in the face and while the projects are meant to be fun, there’s also a lot to learn each time you explore the lights and darks of the face, or any object. A simple sketch is one way, but when you start to add in various media such as Conte Crayon, charcoal, acrylics, oil pastels and more you get an even more intense experience as you blend and create shades of grey.

I went back through my artwork and journals to pull 50 Shades of Grey in faces spanning the last several years. It’s always fun to take a look back and see how your artwork had evolved and what things still draw you that you continue to explore. I encourage you to take a look back at your work and reflect on what things still appeal to you as you go forward~