Approaching Another Birthday

by Marian Fortunati on 12/5/2008 11:10:54 AM6 Comments

Marian (Almost Older)
12" x 9"
Oil on RayMar board

It was a nice rainy day last week and I was all alone and cozy in my warm, dry house...

What to do? I'd already walked my four miles... (before it started raining.) I'd read some... (I read when I walk.) Well, then I decided to do some painting. I knew I should paint from life... Painting from life instead of using photo references is more fun and is better for strengthening my various skills ...

Hmmmm, should I do a still life?... Nawwww... I really like painting people better than painting still lifes. Obviously landscapes are out... so I decided to paint ME! (I've done this before, mind you... It led to disastrous results.)... Part of the problem is... it's me... not some lovely model... just me.

Oh well.. I'm the cheapest and most readily available model I've got. AND if the result isn't horrendous... It will be my birthday present to me.
I used a mirror on the easel... It was too hard to figure out angles, etc. if I put the mirror to the side. I had a small canvas so I could still see in the mirror and I went to work. I sketched out my head and torso. Then I blocked in the darks and lights. I decided to include the glasses... they caste some strange shadows and reflections, because I can't see to paint without them on. Even though Morgan Weistling says he paints without his glasses on so if he forgets to squint, he still can see the values, I just am not comfortable painting without seeing clearly. I DID try to squint to see the values, though. I thought I was doing okay, but I could hear my portrait teacher, Johanna's constant reminders

that I hadn't put in the background. How could I possibly compare the values correctly without the background? Okay... there's the background and... after looking at it I realized that the values on the dark side of the head couldn't possibly be that light... no matter how much I wished I was a blond-blonde. (Yes - both spellings are acceptable.) (So far I think I had painted for about 2 hours, but then I really wasn't keeping track.) The next day I darkened the hair a bit then did some other fixing and this is what I came up with. I think it looks like me.

What are your experiences with self portraits??

6 Responses to Approaching Another Birthday

	James Beach via web	19 months ago
	I think it is terrific and looks like you. Something looks strange on the right side of the glasses and the right temple bow seems to far out from the lens. It's a keeper for sure. Love, Dad

	deber Klein via web	19 months ago
	Hi, Marian! I think your portrait is very nice. I always think it's brave for an artist to paint herself. After all, you are your own greatest critic. I did one self-portrait years ago for my art group's show, and it was okay though I don't know if it really looked quite right. But at least people recognize it as being me. Later I tried to do one again, and it was a miserable failure. I think it might be that sometimes you just hit on the right day just like any other painting experience. But generally, I'm not a portrait painter. I think probably the best way to get good at it is to paint the nearest model you can manage to find as often as you can, and who's better than yourself?

	cooper via web	19 months ago
	Hi Marian, I think you did a great job with your self portrait! I appreciate you glasses on/glasses off comments. Mine are just reading glasses, but my 'blur zone' grows with age :( Also, I am quite envious that on December 5th you can survive long enough in a tank top, to get a whole painting done. Iowa, at this time of year, requires a turtleneck with a big bulky sweater on top! Later, Cooper

	Sharon Weaver via web	19 months ago
	There you are. Very nice and in a tank top too. Looking good. I think you have captured your features quite well. Self portraits are challenging, Nicely done.

	via web	19 months ago
	This is SO you...good strong blocking. Love it. There is a reason Rembrandt did so many self portraits. Now where is the 'other' post. You know the one I mean!

	Paul Moshay via web	19 months ago
	Marian, I am sure painting a self portrait is very difficult. We don�t see ourselves as others do and it is impossible to get a different angle of view in the mirror. I think you have done a good job so far, my only comment would be that your right arm is missing and you are about to �fall over� to the left of the image. When I photograph portraits, head to waist as you have here, I try to have the elbows slightly away from the body to form sort of a pyramidal base to the composition which guides the eye from the lower left to the upper right and into the face, which is the most important area of the image. Also, I feel the eyeglass lens on your right eye is too wide compared to the one on your left eye. Let me know how you feel about these comments and I hope I haven't annoyed you with them. Best to you, Paul

You Should Leave a Comment: