5x7 inches, acrylic on paper
I've been posting most of my artwork on Flickr for a few years, and have gotten to know some other artists and photographers on that site. For the past couple years I've found myself admiring the portrait work that people have been submitting for a communal art project called Julia Kay's Portrait Party, so I finally decided to apply to join the group. I had to submit some photos of myself, which is something of a challenge, and now other people are painting and drawing from the photos I uploaded. It's fascinating, though not so good for the old ego.
For my first portrait I decided to paint a person I've gotten to know from the Shelfari book site, and also from Flickr. I've never actually met Monique, who is a painter and photographer and reader who lives in Belgium, but from writing back and forth to her over the years I feel as if I've gotten to know her. After staring at her photograph all afternoon I am pretty sure that if I met her somewhere, in an airport, whilst hiking in Wales, or even on the streets in Belgium, I might know her.
This is a little painting, 5x7 inches, acrylic on a piece of recycled mat board that I coated with gesso. I decided to not obsess about getting a perfect likeness, and I can honestly say I didn't. But I gave it my best shot in one painting session, and I hope we're still friends after this.
My goal is to do at least one of these portraits a week, and to use the challenge as a way to focus on experimentation. I just want to have fun with other people's faces.
3 comments:
I haven't seen the reference photo, but as a stand alone portrait this is brilliant. I like how you have used the coloured background and kept a lot of it showing, which just adds so much to this, well done ISay!
Wow, Sherry, you've taken 10 years off! I love it and am honoured to be your first subject. You've got a good likeness, I think - except for the 10 years age difference, which I do not mind at all :-)
Monique - that's what friends are for. :)
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