Self Finale

I’m coming to what I hope is some sort of milestone in this self portrait assignment.  I’ve discussed with Bro what I think I like and don’t like about the drawing myself over and over… and it’s not taht I think it’s not helpful, I know I’ve been growing like crazy and redeveloping my hand-eye coordination with drawing, but I don’t like the idea that it has no end goal or a final product.  This is my attempt at that final product if not just a very detailed study.

I started this a week ago when I couldn’t sleep so it can only be worked on at night when there is no sunlight coming into my room.  I have a single desklamp lighting my face and a mirror on the desk.  I’m using black colored pencil in a medium sized sketchbook, no more moleskine and pen which has been liberating.

I am posting the first few sessions with this while I correct parts that don’t look right and gather feedback.  I haven’t decided how to finish it… basically everything remaining is black…. but that doesn’t seem very interesting.

Feedback welcome. WDT.

WOrk

This is one of my latest projects, still in the works. The idea is to follow instinct more, by letting the painting tell it’s own story the work seems to become less about me and more about my attempt to understand what’s not there.

Playing Possum

To kick off our new Just for Fun Assignment, or rather to continue a topic we already had going no category for, here is absolute proof that red and blue states are inherently different.

Another gem from Awkward Family Photos.

WDT

Three Mes

The more I draw myself I feel like I’m learning more about my face, yet it feels as if I am understanding less.  Now, though you may think that contradicts itself, it shouldn’t if you’re willing to appreciate my jist.

I worked the typical frontal angle and then switched it up for a change… I did most of the second and third drawings from memory… I laid them out initially with pictures, but took those light rough ins and shaded and completed them all while drinking no less… not enough to push me over though.

I’d like to think that I’m moving away from just straight drawings and beginning to see things a little more abstractly…. of course I’m such an obsessive about perfection… it bugs me to not have a perfect pen drawing before branching out… hence the back and forth.

WDT

Return to Self

So here’s my pathetic attempts at trying to draw myself. I hate drawing myself… I hate drawing… everything is not as it should be. Sigh.

I know this is ridiculously over the top with the suckage report, but I’ve just been in a crap mood about art and my ability to produce it.  It doesn’t help that I’ve been not drawing for over a month… so I am posting a series from the last few days of what I’ve done in self portrait work to show to myself that I just need to spend more time to improve/regain whatever ability I have.

So here’s the result. I think the first four are shit and the next two show some promise/resemblance. The last one I was almost very excited about… but somewhere along the line it fell apart… I don’t know… the nose if you look close was drawn far to small so I had to bump it up and darken some shadows a bit too far… but I think the hair and some of the rendering turned out well.

WDT

Face and guest…

Here is installment four of my contribution to the Face Steal assignment. I had more fun with it this time because I let go of the strict angle I was attacking from and just fucking drew.

So without propping it up with any further bullshit…

The top half.

Scream/Mustache

I would like to say, as it’s not obvious that on the left in the lower image I’m nearly looking at the sun and so have an eye shut. In the other picture I’m wearing and twisting a paper mustache and smoking a fake cigarette, also from scrap paper.

Also, I was given the opportunity to draw someone else besides me and think it might be a good exercise to balance my self-portraits to draw others. So, here’s Daniel:

WDT

Stealing Face…

This is my attempt to rekindle the spirit of the “Face Steal” assignment wherein I don’t actually produce anything new per say, today… but rehash those of the recent past. This way, it looks like I ‘m learning and doing something while not really accomplishing much in the way of promoting my ability or face. Looking at these drawings again, I’m certainly not doing a positive service to my smug mug and need the practice.

Let’s consider this an inspirational post in the hopes it will inspire me to draw less “shitastically” next time.

I’m drawing all of these images in a plain pocket sized moleskin notebook and so far have used only micron ink pens. Other than graphite, I don’t expect to stray far in media and not at all from the moleskin. I’m hoping to create a small record of both my visage and ability to replicate it over time by keeping this moleskin self-portrait journal of sorts.

Beginning with the first drawing, it is a sad one and was quietly rushed in the expectation of being a bit rusty. At this point, I had not drawn myself for nearly 2 years. I feel like it is a good start though.

The next series of smaller drawings was fun and though quicker in nature, and even comical as in the caricatures, they felt more satisfying and complete. Perhaps not worrying about it and just doing it was the answer. Yes they are off and frumpy and overdone, but still, a positive second step and certainly more accurate than week one.

The most recent drawing was an attempt to really sit and draw like I remember drawing – in great detail and without moving over the entire page. Instead I would go from spot to spot and finish before moving on. I notice a great deal of technical improvement with a lack of structure supporting it. It is as I drew it… detached and detailed. There is another larger concern that is arising though in the size of the moleskin being difficult for me to work into or around. I’m unknowingly trying to fill the page instead of letting the drawing ignore the edges. This is my biggest challenge. Also, next time I will try and draw like a former teacher taught me: all over and all at once.

The word “shitastically” is patent pending and copyrighted, all rights reserved.

WDT

Faux-laroid

As of the past few months it’s been something of an inspiration for me to look towards Polaroid photography as a means of presenting info of a temporary nature in my work. From process posters and research examples it grew to involve personal images like this, which also are temporary, if not instantaneously so.

What is interesting to me about this fascination is that I have no Polaroid camera nor have I ever been exposed (pun unintended) to one. So I’ve been trying to duplicate the rather unique dated look of a Polaroid and believe this attempt is fairly close even though I couldn’t help but up the contrast.

Thank you to Ryan because I stole his Polaroid background from an earlier post and thanks of course to Photoshop.

WDT

The Claw

It’s exactly what tit looks like.

WDT