Looking through Andrew's self portrait
The assignment: complete a self portrait for tafe.
The painting: attempted.
The irony: it came unstuck.
I doubt few others can look ‘through’ their self portrait and see themselves behind it!
Self Portrait destruction
And the picture below brings a new meaning to ‘I was torn.’
A portrait of an old man
My father asked me whether one of my portraits I posted recently was a self portrait. It made me question how bad my wrinkles were getting as it was a portrait inspired by a photograph of a man of about 102 years.
Dad says that my self portraits are quite unflattering. I know that they are indeed not always life-like! I actually never worry about them being life like. I’m sure in some circles that’s an oxymoron: surely a self-portrait should bear some resemblance to the person? Well, I think that depends on what the ‘likeness’ is. I think one can paint an entirely abstract painting and it could still be a self-portrait if it suitably capture one’s mood or personality.
Below is probably the most life like portrait of me: it was drawn by Andrew on a canvas that I had painted. I then continued to paint after Andrew had ‘sketched me in.’
As for a self-portrait, here’s my latest effort. It’s mixed media with the face mainly in pen and the other areas in acrylic, pen and caran d’ache neocolor I’s (fancy crayons). The original is actually rectangular and reasonably brightly coloured. As it wasn’t quite working for me, I photographed it and then played around with that. I like the end result – reminiscent of humpty dumpty in Alice in Wonderland – and we all know that I can’t but fall in love with something which reminds me of Alice.
Mixed Media Self Portrait ala Alice's Humpty Dumpty
Self Portrait. 21:47. Four days before Christmas. Slight headache.Procrastinating. Yep. I think my face captures that.
Oh, 9 day fortnight, how I love thee! This time the 10th day has been used for sewing, painting and munching. Pictured is the heirloom work I’ve completed to use a centre panel for a vintage slip. The fabric is white cotton sateen with cotton lace insertion and embroidery using a winged needle. I’m delighted with the result. It’s delicate and ‘fancy’ without being frilly! My painting (pictured below) still needs more work. I’ve eradicated the double chin (present because I’d made the face too long not because I have one at this point); and attempted to move the lips to the correct position. 
I want to know why lips are so difficult to paint. Unlike hair, I can’t just avoid painting them! Unless I develop a style this only incorporates individuals with no mouths. Perhaps someone would consider it a statement on silence. You never know what interpretation art critics are going to place on something. Fortunately for me the only critic I have to deal with is myself. In most areas that is indeed a most formidable critic but in the art area I appear to let myself off the hook more often.
