A couple of concept sketches for a self-portrait
My oil painting class has moved on from still lifes to self-portraits. My teacher has given us quite a bit of freedom on this second painting - as long as it's a self-portrait, he doesn't really care what else we do. It can be an "introspective inner landscape" if we can explain it later, or it can be a traditional Renaissance-style portrait if someone wants to take on the challenge. Me? I think I'll go with something a little looser.
I've been trying to decide on a composition and how I want to color it. Yesterday, I messed around with pastels a little:
Yes, yes, I know that doesn't look like me. I wasn't trying for accuracy so much as just experimenting with color and how to depict light. I'm not Matisse, but I do think I like the idea of working with some green in the face.
For composition, I'm thinking of something along the lines of this sketch:
Detailed sketching and shading for the face and arm, but perhaps I will leave the hair largely unfinished except for a few broad strokes. I like the looseness of it - but I suppose it will depend how it ultimately looks in paint, which after all works very differently from vine charcoal. We'll see
I've been trying to decide on a composition and how I want to color it. Yesterday, I messed around with pastels a little:
Yes, yes, I know that doesn't look like me. I wasn't trying for accuracy so much as just experimenting with color and how to depict light. I'm not Matisse, but I do think I like the idea of working with some green in the face.
For composition, I'm thinking of something along the lines of this sketch:
Detailed sketching and shading for the face and arm, but perhaps I will leave the hair largely unfinished except for a few broad strokes. I like the looseness of it - but I suppose it will depend how it ultimately looks in paint, which after all works very differently from vine charcoal. We'll see
