Here’s my latest self portrait. I started it in mid February, so it’s taken about 4 months. Definitely my most ambitious to date. I will be showing it at the Hastings Arts Forum Self Portrait Show starting 18th July.
I’m trying to teach myself to draw faces. As part of my efforts to try to learn to draw faces, Nicky suggested that I try some without looking at the paper. I think the idea was that it would make me focus on what’s important on the face.
I’ve done 5 or 6 drawings without looking, and here’s my attempt to draw Nicky without looking at the paper. I think that this one works the best.
It’s so variable how long these drawings take. Sometimes it just flows on the first attempt, but other times, like with the drawing of Mum, I have to redo each line countless times.
I’m wondering how much more to do on my portrait of Pauline. It’s got to the stage where I’m taking it off the easel, looking at it in the mirror and then making tiny changes that don’t really notice! That stage usually goes on for a week or two.