Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Self Portrait

Don't ask me. What the?

I'll let you decide suffice it to say I'm really happy with this. Technically I made some leaps forward and this piece has given me a great boost in confidence. I can't tell you where it came from. But I can tell you how I felt.

I was thinking of Toulouse Lautrec. Go figure. Let me go back a step. I went to the bookstore today and was sifting through all the art books when I found a Toulouse Lautrec. Well, I can't get enough of him so I was carefully analysing his brushstrokes, and the way he married colours together. So, I was thinking of him when I was painting away. Then it occurred to me to try a velatura - so I mixed some paint and medium and away I went. Well, i distorted the painting somewhat but I really liked it. So, I kept painting away, and noticed that I was able to manipulate the paint, and I started to like the colours too. One thing led to another and well, it developed into this. As always not quite as I'd like it.

About the 'self' portrait. I would regard myself as a reasonably complex character, and well, this painting suggests that. I'll be doing many more self portraits as I find it so very fascinating, and I'm sure each one will bring out something different in my character. The illusion of hanging, red for blood, and black for death, are morbid. Yes, but in a sense appealing too. I could elaborate. But, I won't now.

See you later. Gotta hit the sack.

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