A Sleep and her Sisters tutorial...

This is a little peek into one of the processes I use to create my girls. 

I start with a paint colour called cloud, made by Fas, as the base of the faces (two or three coats should do it). I usually do a whole lot of faces at once so I have a stock of them.

I then draw the features in with watercolour pencils, add a few highlights and rosy cheeks with Pebbles Inc chalks.  I sometimes use a little light box if I am trying to duplicate the same face, although now with all the practice I have had I can get them looking pretty good without the light box.

Then I cover with a light brushing of Pebeo gloss varnish (it looks a little gray in this image which is just the way it has scanned through).  Although the varnish only takes a few hours to dry I usually do these last thing in the evening and let them dry over night so they will be good and ready in the morning. A few times I have got impatient and touched them while they were still wet and wrecked them!  You also have to get the amount of varnish right as too much will pool on the face leaving a bump.  

Once they are completely dry... I cut them out.

Then I use some scrap booking paper as her dress (this is sometimes the hardest part as there are so many lovely papers to choose from, I have a whole folder full of discarded dresses) When I am picking the paper I am mindful that it matches her eyes and any other plans I have for her. Once I have made my choice I cut the dress out and paint in the arms, add a bit of shading to the dress, add a few stripes, either with a white pen or pencil and finally a bit of colour with Derwent Drawing pencils.

I glue the head to the back of the dress and choose a swimming cap out of scrapbooking paper and trace around the head shape, cut it out and add a few shading details or spots.  Now she is all finished and ready to be placed on a background...