Rainy Art Class Monday

Today, it was the day for my art class. And this time I took along my canvas I wanted to work on - unlike last week where I forgot it.

We had a great time working on our own things with Aaron walking around - or running around - helping us all out. Yep, it was a full class this week. 

And there was a man who came in asking if he could join up. I'm not sure if he decided to or not; we'll have to see next week.

My self-portrait went from blah to wow in just 3 1/2 hours. I didn't really want to leave, but I just didn't have the brushes to do the right kind of detailing work I needed to do on the hair... so I left to head off to Eckersleys at Underwood and found what I needed there. 
Once home, I set up the portrait to dry by the back door and will be packing the car for tomorrow to head off to Geoff and Vivienne's place to visit Will (a friend of mine) and drop off some paint Geoff gave me... I just haven't used it; and he can have it back.

Anyway, I arrived home well past 1pm and had a bottle of brush cleaner and detailing brushes from the art store on me... I'm really getting my art gear refined now. I don't want to be taking too much stuff with me if I don't really need it; yet I do want to make sure I have everything I need. Yep, it's a catch-22 in art classes. If you don't have enough gear, you're caught short... and yet if you have too much, you feel as though you've packed the kitchen sink. Oh well, can't win 'em all! Until my next post, keep creating!

It's Finished!

After 7 months of working on it, my self-portrait is finally finished and signed.  I sat down yesterday and did up the finishing touches on it within about an hour and a half and I'm pleased with it all!  

However, it hasn't all been plain sailing with this complex works.  I have never done a nude before and I've never painted a self-portrait of myself where I'm a full-sized figure.  So, these were the main things that threw me; and why it took so long for me to complete it.  I also enjoyed the learning experience so much I almost didn't want to finish it.  But I had other things that were on my mind, so I had to complete it.

There were other faults with it, but if I didn't sign it, I would've been picking at it until Christmas.  So, I thought to keep it the way it is now and sign it - faults and all.  Besides, it's the faults that make a painting, if nothing else.  Well, I'm happy it's finished and signed now; and I can work on something else.  Until my next post, keep creating.

New Self-Portrait

I'm doing another self-portrait.  This one isn't like last year's where I didn't use a mirror or photograph.  This year's portrait, I got some help from an artist friend who was I modeling for to take some photos of me.  Well, he needed some for his work and so I thought to use them for mine as well.  So, what do you think of the colour so far.  I won't reveal the whole portrait until it's finished completely.