Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Daily Painting Practice - 30 Self Portraits in more than 30 Days

Here I am, staring at myself again. That's not a mirror that's my computer screen. I like drawing from the computer because I can edit the photos, enlarge them and turn the color off and keep it black and white. I am doing this one with an old quill pen and some india ink.
Rembrandt did more self portraits than any artist I know of. He didn't use a computer or photographs, just a mirror. . He was all about practice and experimentation. I wonder if this was before or after washing his hair?
Another favorite artist and superb draftsman, Albrecht Durer. I wonder if he was thinking, " Nothing to draw today, might as well try another self portrait...". He did this at about age 23.

I often think of the conditions they painted under. No camera, no Blick Art supply store down the road, no computer, no Borders Book stores to sit in for hours to look at all the art magazines. They just had pen and paper and a mirror.


Click on the drawing to enlarge the image

Here's Looking at You Kid
Self Portrait - Day 22
pen and really old India Ink on paper

I haven't used a quill pen and india ink for 30 years.... Wait a minute! I think I was using this same bottle of ink back in art school.

2 comments:

Annie said...

Thanks for sharing how you did work for this one. Good drawing!!Up to the next!

Abbey said...

Your self portrait series is really great! I loved looking at them. Awesome work.