EDM #56 - Draw a self portrait

The exercises we have been doing in my drawing class have been fun and challenging. The most challenging of all was the self-portrait we were assigned. I don't think I've done a live self-portrait since I was in high school. In order to "warm up" I first used a photo of myself in order to familiarize myself with my face from an objective perspective. Then, once I felt I could draw my own features I set up the mirror and drew myself. Well...wasn't that fun!! NO. I must have erased 20 times and then when I thought I was done I asked my daughter (a talented artist in her own rite, and my most honest art critic) what she thought. She looked at it and made one statement. It's interesting how you see yourself. WHAT??!?

I didn't ask her what she meant, right away. I thought about it for a couple of days while I studied my work. A few days later I asked her what she meant. She answered saying, "Well, when you look at your drawing it's obvious you see all the wrinkles in your face that are really not evident when someone looks at you." Interesting. For the next few days, I kept checking myself out in every mirror I passed. She was right, I don't really have a lot of wrinkles for my age, but in the drawing they, sure as heck, are right there...every last one of them.

So, after working on my psychological hang-ups, I've decided to post my self-portrait after all and link it to the Everyday Matters Groups as my re-introduction to the group. Here I am, wrinkles and all...

...looking at it here...I also notice I made my face wider than it actually is...oh well.

My drawing course is almost over...

And I'm going to miss the class. I've really enjoyed this course and have been having visions of artful success! Ah, to create art and to actually sell it to someone who loves it as much as I do, what a dream is that! That is what my goal, but I have a way to go before I get to that point. Everything I produce is still very personal, very much for my own pleasure coming from my heart. I could never part with what I paint, I wonder how you come to the point that you can part with your art.

Here are some of my most recent sketches. I posted these on my Facebook page and got some really positive feedback, which did wonders to bolster my ego, especially during this difficult time in my life.

I hope you enjoy some of my drawings.

every class begins with gesture drawings, here are two I like

skull study in preparation for portraiture

drapery study

2-hour pose

Beginning Portraiture

I've always enjoyed drawing people's faces as long as I can remember. As a teenager, I would draw the portraits of the boys I had crushes on. I remember one portrait of Marlon Jackson (of the Jackson Five) who I absolutely crushed on, as well as one of the Osmond brothers, David Cassidy, and various boys in my classes. As my kids were growing I would draw them, usually fast sketches with little likeness, 'cause they moved around so much. Most recently, I painted my youngest son's portrait and have sketched my daughter's, but haven't started painting as yet.

Last night, we started our class, as usual, with gestures - which is a great warmup to drawing. We then moved on to do a number of conture drawings and after the break we began doing portraits. We had one of my favourite models, Paula. She is very lean and angular. Her face has a "Kennedy" look to it, but I don't think I was able to capture that with her lips. Her face has the look like Maria Schriver's or Caroline Kennedy's. A strong, angular upper lip and high cheekbones. Looking at it now, I realize the lips should be wider than I've drawn them. But, I still think it's a pretty good likeness of her, aside from that.

Exhilarated by drawing

My drawing class goes by so quickly. How three hours of drawing fly by is unbelievable. Last night we had a really beautiful model. Her facial features were so well defined she was a delight to draw. We are studying drapery and moving on with shading. Below is a drawing of last night's model, plus two other models from earlier in June.