Saturday, 1 February 2014

Inside my sketchbook … issue 5 ...

I set myself a little artistic challenge over the holidays … to (hopefully) improve my portrait sketching.

I mean it's one thing to draw a nose, two eyes and a mouth … it's a whole different bag of bananas to actually capture a likeness.

I struggle with this … BIG TIME!!

So I turned to my nearest and dearest to be my musey style models … and it's safe to say they were ALL less than impressed with the results.

Master 16 made a kind suggestion,  "Mum … (long-suffering sigh) … some people have talent drawing people … and some don't … I think you should just stick to drawing things".

He could well be right!

But nevertheless I decided to share the results anyway … cause that's just the type of person I am … a chronic over sharer.




If it's any consolation to those folk around here … hating their portraits … I'm not particularly fond of mine either.


The moral of the story?

Sometimes practise makes perfect … and sometimes it just proves you should quit while you're ahead.

20 comments:

  1. I think your portraits are AMAZING! A friend of mine does them at school fairs, takes about 10 minutes per sketch, can't quite remember what she charges, but the punters seem to go away happy. So there you go, set yourself up and get a business going, Jo! I really do think you have captured your menfolk very well, possibly yourself a little less so but I think it's harder to see ourselves objectively as a "subject". Definitely don't quit! xxx

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    1. Drawing myself was definitely the hardest … I did three different pictures … this one was the quickest … and least offensive. But I totally agree … it's very hard to see yourself as the subject.
      Thanks for the positive reinforcement :0)
      xx

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  2. They are awesome......I would not take too much to heart..I don't think anyone likes their own photo lets lone a sketch...,I say keep drawing.
    Xx

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    1. Hubby was all "I don't look like that … I'm all out of proportion" … then I put the photo I was using as a guide against the drawing and he just went "oh" … sometimes the truth hurts ;0)
      xx

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  3. i think they are fabulous! anybody who has ever tried to capture a likeness knows that even a mm line at the wrong angle an change everything! fabulous! do not own any words that tell you you cant cause you just did! xxxxx

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    1. It really is the smallest things that make or break a portrait. I think if you can get the eyes right you're 90% of the way there.
      xx

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  4. These are great, Jo!!! Keep it up!

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    1. Thanks Connie … I'll keep trying … it's too much fun to give it up :0)
      xx

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  5. These are blooming great! I agree with Curtise about your portrait i.e. the likeness issue, and her reason, but please don't stop they really are amazing, you have definitely captured their likeness - keep going! x x x

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    1. Thanks Sandra … it makes you wonder if famous artists that have painted self portraits really got themselves right. Maybe Van Gogh didn't really look like that at all.
      xx

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  6. Don't you dare quit!!! They will want their portraits when you are famous and earning the BIG BUCKS!!!

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  7. Do not stop.These are great!You've captured them completely. You're amazing. XO

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  8. You are so talented, I'm in awe! x

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  9. Your pictures are great! You shouldn't stop.

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  10. I'm new to your blog and have been scrolling through looking without commenting but now I have to speak up. Your portraits look great and think about it for a moment...all those dead famous artists painted people and didn't exactly get photographic likenesses. Think of Picasso and Matisse. You made the Queen look better than Lucien Freud did!

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    1. Thank you Shawna … what you say is totally true … it's all a matter of confidence really … and a belief that what you do is good enough.
      I just googled Lucien Freud … now that's an eye opener ;0)
      xx

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