Selfie

Selfie

12 x 16

Oil on Raymar Panel

I am in my new studio now and have been working very hard getting it set up the way I want...getting things put in places that give me a smooth work process.  The first thing I painted was a small "Charlie Chaplin" piece.  I also have 4 large Military Spouse paintings in the works at various stages of development.  When I want to take a break and paint something that is no pressure, pure fun, I paint a selfie.  Sometime I use photos, sometimes I paint from life...this was a combination.  I had a picture that I really liked but needed to check my features in a mirror to get more detail. Especially my nose...I do have a bulbous nose!  hahaha!

 I purchased a full length mirror for my studio so I can check out features whenever I want.  It helps with figurative work also. Sometimes a photo reference can be blurry or I just want to change something about a composition so I use the mirror for reference.  

So now that I have finished my "fun" selfie...back to work! 

selfie - graphite on sketch paper

This is graphite on a 9 x 12 piece of sketch book paper.  And by graphite I mean a #2 pencil.  I started sketching with #2 pencils because they are so readily available and I usually have one in my purse.  I sketch selfies quite often because I want to practice...I want to practice facial features and gestures...and I am the only one available...so I sketch myself.   I try to sketch my husband in the evenings when we are relaxing and watching TV...but sometimes he moves too much.  I am working on sketching when my model moves and can get a reasonable likeness...sometimes I keep two or three sketches going hoping he will settle back into a previous position.  It is a challenge...a challenge I enjoy.