So for the past few weeks I've been all-consumed with myself. Literally. In my painting class we had an assignment to paint a self-portrait, and not necessarily to just paint a literal representation of our face, just a self-portrait however we interpreted it. I did choose to paint my face, but part of that was a desire to academically paint a portrait with oils, which I had never done before. But regardless, this painting was the hardest thing I've ever done. We had weeks to work on it, and I sketched, and planned and thought, and filled up pages and pages in my sketchbook trying to settle on a composition, on an idea. I did want to simply paint my face, but beyond that I didn't want this to be an academic painting. I wanted to paint me. Which ultimately happens no matter what you paint. It's impossible to no put yourself into your work, but regardless, I wanted there to be more depth and meaning than the paintings I had done previously for classes. So I over-thought it to the extreme. So finally, a week before critique I settled on a composition. It took blocking in a few different ideas onto the canvas to get there, but I made it. So that week, literally all I did was paint. Every night I was up until the wee hours of the morning working on this stupid painting. I skipped classes the day before and the day of the critique in order to complete it to a point where I felt comfortable showing it. So anyway, I just wanted to show all 8 readers of my blog what I did. Because I am proud. It still needs work, but I'm happy with how it turned out.
So if you'll notice, the last photograph of the painting I have eyebrows, while the other ones don't. So as I was driving the painting to school a week ago for the critique after feverishly painting for a week straight, I realized I had forgotten to paint eyebrows and proceeded to burst into hysterical, crazy-person laughter. But at this point I said forget it and kept driving. So then that day we didn't get to my painting, we ran out of time, but again, even with time to add eyebrows I decided to leave it as is. But then this afternoon after I took pictures of the painting, on a whim pulled out a brush and added the eyebrows. I still don't know how I feel about them. Anyway, so this is my work, and hopefully I'll stay on top of things and at the end of the semester I'll keep all 8 of you updated on what else I do.
The end.
P.S. I realize my hair isn't actually that red. I really did try to match my hair color, but this has happened in every single self-portrait I have ever done. I think subconsciously I just think my hair is redder than it is. And I think I'm ok with this.
6 comments:
I also like how you see yourself with short hair. :)
Good job well done! Much better than I could've done that's for sure. I think I like the one with the eye-brows more because it softens your countenance. Normally you're smiling, but here you're very serious. But that's fine. I also really like the green around the portrait. It gives off a very nature feeling to it. It's like you're in the jungle. Cool stuff.
love itttt. you should paint me. :D
I love it- I really do see you in this! I do the same thing with my hair, I always think of myself with redder hair. Some people just look like they should have red hair. I love the paint and the shadows and everything though! It makes me want to paint!
I think the eyebrows were a good move. Just my opinion though. I look forward to seeing you with shorter hair...one day...like 2.5 years from now.
Keep up the work effort, the drive, the you-ess. Keep your muchness, and as Lee always seems to tell me "do what you do". :)
Thanks guys! And just for the record, my hair was actually just pulled back, bangs pinned up and everything. I'm going to pretend now that you'd be able to tell in person.
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