# Need of Help



## svartistry (May 4, 2011)

Hello All- I'm currently working on a consignment piece of a couple, The Male in the picture has a Fade, he is a Black man and I am having difficult time getting it to look correct- does anyone have any suggestions on techniques to assist me? Any help would be greatly appreciated 

Thank you very much,
Sarah Voorheis
SvArtistry.com


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

I really wish I did. Acrylic Painting is not my strong point. 

Obviously it's going to be darker on the top and lighter on the bottom but instead of making the hair lighter I would start gradually incorporating more of his skin tone. More hair/less skin when you start the blending process until you blend down to more skin/less hair. Probably not a word of that made sense except to me. I generally know what I want to say but have a hard time translating it into written word. 

In effect the hair is not being lightened - it's just being shaved closer so more of the skin shows through and that's what gives it the fade effect.


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## WatercolorStain (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm a super realistic painter, so our styles may differ, but I usually paint with tiny dots/dabs to achieve this sort of effect. I would paint the skin tone down, and then take the black overtop of it. At the top, the dabs are going to be heavy and closer together, then working your way down, they get lighter and smaller and further apart, to the point where they're pretty much dots. 
To clarify (since I tend to make words up sometimes), by dabbing I mean taking the brush and pretty much stabbing the canvas with it. You don't want a lot of paint on it for this.

Another technique I could recommend is a lot less detailed, but depending on your style, may work better... Painting side-to-side (kind of doing like a watercolor wash, or if you've ever had to paint a sunset) you blend the (wet) paint on the picture. I could go into more detail if you wish but I don't want to seem like I'm rambling.


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## DLeeG (Oct 20, 2010)

A copy of what you've have done on it so far would help me to guide you. Other than that, just pain what you see. 

Here is an early photo of my wife and me. Use it for practice if you'd like.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

DLeeG said:


> A copy of what you've have done on it so far would help me to guide you. Other than that, just pain what you see.
> 
> Here is an early photo of my wife and me. Use it for practice if you'd like.


You guys make a cute couple. She looks like she is a lot of fun to be around.


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