Self Portraits

I started sketching myself before selecting examples produced by other artists or comparing my approach to that taught by accomplished tutors. As a result my initial sketches are not porportionally accurate with some features exaggerated.

I discovered that I was capturing a staring pose, long faced with relaxed mouth. Being a mirror image I was also producing an image not seen by others with my bent nose pointing in the oposite direction to reality. The sketches helped to define tone and where to darken the background to enhance contrast. The proportion and shape of my face were not factually correct in the early images which I improved in the following sketch with glasses.

Prior to working in colour I made reference to other artisits' work I seen at prior gallery visits and from internet searches. I selected a range of examples of other artists' work I found interesting (i.e. Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Lowry, Fiona Scott, Henri Matisse and David Hockney).

The portraits with simple backgrounds help to focus the eye on the person. In the Van Gough example the features of the room in the background add context as does the paint brush in the foreground of the David Hockney watercolour. The two ages of Hockney show both his developing style and confidence with mark making. Lowry and David Hockney have illustrated the wide eyed stare that painting from a mirror image creates.

When creating my own painted self portrait study, I worked from the eyes and mouth outwards thus improving the proportions of the final image. I worked with painting knives on the face to give texture when I put down middle layers before finishing with a filburt brush. My wife thought I had created a sad looking image that made me look 10 years older! I discovered how difficult it is to paint a smiling image as holding the smile for long periods is uncomfortable and leads to a false smile. The result is a more serious pose. I am pleased with the proportions and shape in the colour study portrait below but have over emphasised the redness of my skin colour.

Working on a contrasting green mid-tone support, I prepared a second painted image using brush maks only. Again I have produced an image with elongated features and an over rudy complecture. I feel I have caputured my eyes, forehead, hair and mouth well. However my nose is too long and my lower face too narrow. I believe the image is closer to how my father looks than me - perhaps a preminition of how I am going to age! By photograghing my sketchbook page in a mirror I have reversed the image on the right to appear as others see me.

I am impressed by the way the red tones stand out from the mid-green of the prepared support. I intend to play around with my own portrait focusing on key features similar to Matisse's approach.