I'm a masochist. It's official. I've no idea what possessed me to join Wally's self portrait marathon. I hate doing self portraits but I seem to be drawn these days to doing things I don't want to do! On Friday, I was reading blogs and three things struck me. First was, as always, admiring Tommy Kane's pen drawings and wishing I could draw like that. Second, seeing Karen's collection of sketchbooks (I should draw more!) and finally seeing the challenge on Wally's blog. I don't know why but it triggered something. If I can get over my fear of spiders, then why not self portraits?!This one above is my very first attempt at drawing with a pen. Perhaps it would have turned out better if I had slowed down and drew as I normally do instead of trying to draw quickly in some imaginary 'this is how a real artist would do it' sort of way! I'm tempted not to show it but maybe it will show how much I've improved later on ;)!
Can you tell how much I do not like my face?! Back to ye olde pencils, Alex said I made myself look too old but then he came back and said I'd left out all my wrinkles, I wasn't nearly hideous enough! It's interesting though how these drawings don't look like me (I've deliberately not made them photo-realistic) but capture something about me at the same time. I wouldn't say I'm a miserable person but when I catch myself in a mirror I always seem to be frowning! I never got wolf whistles from builders, instead they used to shout 'cheer up darlin'!Everyone calls me neat, but when I'm at home I dress for comfort (and keep my fingers crossed no-one calls unannounced)! Although I'm not usually this serious I wanted to show how I normally look at home. In summer I wear this torquise and blue beach dress (must be nearly ten years old now!) In winter I look like the Michelin woman under layers of fleeces. (Must change that profile photo!) Oh, and one final thing - I got my hair cut on the morning I drew these, way shorter than I asked for but how I used to always have it up until 5 years ago when I decided to keep it slightly longer to' hide my aging face'! It doesn't bother me now - perhaps because I'm now too old to care?!! Hope the next portraits will improve in quality - and I promise I'll try not to rant!
12 comments:
Felicity -- first off, I think you have a beautiful face!! Secondly, I think your pen and ink is GLORIOUS!! And if mine looked this fantastic after 100 tries, the smile on my face would reach from my home to yours!! And speaking of homes -- what a fantastic and beautiful home!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I ADORE your work, Felicity!! Your shading, values and eye are perfect perfect perfect!!!!
Now SMILE, cara mia -- your sketches are phenomenal!!!
Wow! If this is your first try with ink, then you don´t have any problems with that. Ink is your second name!
Beautiful drawings, both of them, and your face is lovely too!
Beautiful self portraits! Lets see more and more of them!
:-) And it's just tricky adding the other post to keep these off the top of the page -- downright tricky! :-D
truly great self portraits. your first attempt with pen & ink is fabulous. dont stop!
I thought your portraits were fantastic and sensitively drawn and I really appreciated your honesty. I totally related to your comments too: that stupid thought that "a real artist would draw like this;" I get strangers telling me to cheer up or co-workers asking what's wrong when I'm perfectly fine. I'm actually a very happy person but gravity has not been kind -- I look grumpy when I'm not. Ditto dressing for comfort at home and hoping nobody stops by unannounced!
Thanks everyone for such super comments!
Felicity, I join the chorus of your above commenters! Your self portraits are SO well done--they don't look as if you had any misgivings or doubts as you drew them! Fun to see what you do with ink, as I associate you with careful pencil drawings. I agree with Nina--you're a wizard with ink!
Laur(elines)
This is beautiful. Really and truly beautiful. I love it.
Felicity-they are super and well drawn. You were just more realistic than I was as my 5 year old grandson looked at mine and said"Oh, is this Muz when she was young???"Who did I think I was kidding by leaving out some lines and droops?Keep up the good work!tricia
My heavens...if that is you rushing I can't imagine what it will look like when you take your time. I look forward to see what direction this challenge (and your new attitude) take you.
I don't know how this could possibly "turn out better", Laura's right, no doubt or misgiving in these lines! beautifully done!
I can't get over how talented you are. The expression in those eyes!! Wonderful. This is a great drawing - even if you think the likeness is not photographic. I don't think it should be. If you captured an essence of you, then that is just wonderful - a fleeting glimpse perhaps? :o)
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