Hi Lisa! Great to see you posting again. First of all, big CONGRATULATIONS on this important commission (I'm assuming it's a commission - that you
are getting paid for these ten...). The exposure with this type of group will be tremendous and I'm sure you'll soon be swimming in commissions.
And what a beautiful rendering. You have such a great command of this medium. As for your questions, I can only offer my thoughts on some of them. The more business-oriented considerations can, I'm sure, be tackled by others in a far more satisfactory way. I am
so not the business person.
To follow up on what Terri has said...In my way of thinking there are basically two ways of doing a vignette: Fading the shoulders out as you have, where everything is rendered to a finished degree and then faded out in a very controlled way - similar to what is done mechanically in photography. The other way is more related to process - the earlier, looser stages of drawing are left for all to see, except where the center of interest - the face - is more or highly rendered, finished. Now, in my own work as you have seen, any vignettes were done in the former, the "foggy fade-out" manner. Others may have a different opinion on this - and maybe it is purely subjective - but I've come to the conclusion/opinion that this way of creating a vignette is artificial looking, and maybe even, dare I say, a little disingenuous. I say this because I found that in my own work, I was aspiring to the look of the latter way of working, but didn't set up the drawing, pastel that way (I was extemely controlled, not taking any chances) from the get go - because I didn't have the experience, the "chops" to pull it off successfully - that's why I used the word "disingenuous" - because I now see the former way as always aspiring to the look of the latter. Everything in my work up until now has been so in control, it hasn't allowed for the more spontaneous, searching,
honest lines and marks that characterize - what I now feel - is what real drawing is all about. And it is so much more of a dynamic approach. Look at some of Daniel Greene's pastels. This is what I mean. You see his process in his vignettes, and it is such a delight to behold. They are so alive! Last year at the portrait conference in Wash. DC I had my portfolio critiqued by one of the previous top award winners whose work I admire greatly, and this was her critique of
Diana - I had already thought this was a big problem with the pastel, I totally agreed with her - so I have since drawn it out to the borders, and I think it looks much better.
Now you ask if this look will fit your style - I think it is more a question of process. How do you begin these pieces? The lines that Terri is referring to, I think, are - or
should be - the beginning stages of drawing that show through, that remain unresolved. I'm not sure you can fake this, or have this be an afterthought to achieve a certain "look." I have yet to really explore this way of working - but I know it will take a lot of practice - to do it in an honest way. Sorry if this is long-winded - I just had to get that off my chest.
And Terri is also right - if scale of the heads and size is similar - variety of color and background will create more interest. Your style wil tie them together.
Can't wait to see all these. Man, if I had only six weeks to do all that I'd be panicking right now. But the way you work - you'll probably have these done in six days!