Kevin Roeckl
Dec 19, 202433 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress - start to finish
August 20 The last portrait I shared (a dog in a forest scene) was very complex. This one will be straightforward: a double Head Study...
2 views
Kevin Roeckl
Dec 11, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait finished!
The portrait of Cheri and Larry is finally finished. A special portrait for a special friend who has played an important part in my...
5 views
Kevin Roeckl
Dec 7, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 21 - Small changes, big difference
A finished portrait is not always perfect. It’s not unusual for a client to ask that something about a portrait be fixed. Usually just a...
46 views
Kevin Roeckl
Nov 13, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 20 - A slogan worn with pride
It was important to Cheri to have this shirt-patch included on Larry’s shirt. When you read Cheri’s words you’ll understand why. From...
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Kevin Roeckl
Nov 10, 20243 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 19 - Something small but meaningful
A portrait artist can often include things that are deeply meaningful to the client, which are not there in the reference photo. There...
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Kevin Roeckl
Nov 8, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 18 - Fixed it!
In my previous post I shared what a mess I made of the heart-shaped vignette. (The watercolor-wash-gone-wrong.) I’ve been working on it...
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Kevin Roeckl
Nov 5, 20245 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 17 - Oops....
Continuing “Cheri and Larry”…. This album shows how I used watercolor wash to add the big chunks of color for their t-shirts and...
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Kevin Roeckl
Oct 26, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 16 - Emerging from the grey...
Both heads finished now. Whew! The hard part is done. Cheri wrote: “With this glorious work of art of us - with his eyes shining the way...
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Kevin Roeckl
Oct 23, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 15 - That smile
Larry’s smile finished. The words Cheri wrote about it are below the picture. Larry's beard color (“5 o'clock shadow”) is very close to...
3 views
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 18, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 14 - Blending smooth skin
Working on Larry’s bottom lip: These three pictures show how I add the patches of color for his skin and lip. Then I blend them together...
4 views
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 10, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 13 - Capturing the person
I sent this in-progress picture to Cheri and wrote, “When I was working on Larry's eyes I tried to capture his sense of humor. I'm glad...
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Kevin Roeckl
Oct 10, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 12 - Oh those blue eyes
Capturing Larry’s blue eyes is the most critical part of this portrait. When we were discussing the layout of the portrait, Cheri wrote: ...
1 view
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 5, 20245 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 11 - Creating luminous skin
A man’s skin is darker and redder than a woman’s (typically) . So I am putting in some darker colors on Larry’s forehead. Continuing work...
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Kevin Roeckl
Oct 5, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 10 - An ear is a funny thing
Continuing work on the double portrait of Cheri and Larry. Working on Larry’s face now. An ear is a funny-looking thing. But it’s just a...
1 view
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 3, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 9 - Capturing a life
This is how “Cheri and Larry” looks now, as I start working on Larry. To help me capture his essence, Cheri shared many memories of Larry...
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Kevin Roeckl
Oct 2, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 8 - The right color hair
Continuing work on “Cheri and Larry”.... I'm starting on Larry now, beginning with his brown hair. Like Cheri’s hair, that part of the...
1 view
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 1, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 7 - The importance of reflected light
Finished Cheri’s face and neck. Reflected light is important. These blue and grey colors on her jaw and side of her neck were caused by...
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Kevin Roeckl
Sep 27, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 6 - "Jellied baseballs"
I should have done this in one day, but I stretched it into two.... Day 1 Cheri's lips are finished and I'm ready to start on the teeth....
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Kevin Roeckl
Sep 21, 20242 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 5 - Blending skin colors
Continuing work on Cheri's face in the “Cheri and Larry” portrait. (Prismacolor pencils on grey Canson paper.) FOR ARTISTS: Lots of...
8 views
Kevin Roeckl
Sep 13, 20241 min read
Cheri and Larry portrait in progress 4
I’m making good progress on Cheri’s face. I have known Cheri for 33 years. She was instrumental in introducing my artwork to the Doberman...
1 view