October 6, 2015

Another Batch of My Self-Portrait Sketches


Me, On a "Fine Soft Day"
Me, My Pretty


Me, Right Profile
Me, With Glasses

Me, Left Profile
         I've been busy continuing to work on my 30 days of self-portrait sketches.  To keep it interesting, I've been challenging myself by choosing poses and situations that are different.  In this batch of drawings, I thought about different ways to see me that just head-on.  So in Me, On a Fine Soft Day, I painted  myself at a distance, hiding my face under an orange umbrella on a gray and damp day.  In Me, My Pretty,  I thought it might be fun to play with perspective (and give myself an opportunity to draw hands in perspective.  I was thinking me as a Brobdignagian (from Gulliver's Travels), but what I got seems to me to be closer to the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz -- maybe I was unconsciously inspired by the fact that this is the month of Halloween. 

           The final three sketches are normal portrait type of sketches, but they capture me from a different angle than most photos of me do:  specifically from the side or with my glasses on.  I normally wear contacts instead of glasses, so most people don't see me in my glasses unless they are overnight guests at our home, or I'm sick or have a problem with me contacts.  Me, With my Glasses  is that view, and while I like the sketch as a sketch, I have to admit it's me minus 15 pounds and years.  I was feeling a little guilty about that, and maybe that's why another sketch I like, Me, Left Profile, ended up (I think) adding pounds and years to my normal look.  

      Doing this 30 day personal challenge has been good for me in a number of ways.  First, it is challenging me creatively.  Second, it's helping me hone my drawing skills.  Third, it's an exercise in self-honesty. What I mean is that normally when I look in the mirror, I see myself as younger that I am, but working to draw what I see (no matter how successful that effort is) forces me to look at me so much more closely -- which is useful, but illusion-shattering.  Speaking of creativity.  I'd love to hear any of your suggestions for poses.