Over the Christmas/New Year period, I've been considering doing my own self-portrait. It's not something I've sat down one day and thought on the spur of the moment about, it's been niggling at me for a while now. However, I have the problem not knowing the first thing about how to get into it. I don't know how to draw; and only how to paint, which isn't out of the ordinary as a lot of artists around the place are self-taught.
I've never been to art school/college and have learned through trial and error how to paint and work with art materials... learning that a little bit goes a long way. So, when I attended some life drawing classes, I found that the way one person drew the model wasn't the same as the next; so there's no set standard - as I thought there was - and I from there I wanted to learn as much about drawing as I could.
The best thing came along around March last year when one of our dear family friends' moved from their home and into a retirement village. They really didn't wish to, but needed to. They had to give some of their furniture to family and friends; and sell some of it too. Then, the wife opened up two boxes of books - folders - of books on drawing and painting. These were old editions from when newsagencies began selling the artists editions weekly. There were about nine folders and they covered absolutely everything there was... and I've yet to find the sections I need on drawing a portrait in them.
So, once I get my portrait started, I'll be posting photos of it up here; to show the progress. I hope it will be as good as - and as challenging - I hope it to be. Have any of you done your own - or anyone else's portrait? If so, how hard is it? How long did it take; and what medium did you use? 
No comments:
Post a Comment