Wednesday, February 11, 2009

self portrait 5

I have been having massive troubles with portraits lately. maybe too much stress, maybe too much pressure put upon the drawing? Anyway, I decided to put a little practice in before Wednesday Noon Sketch group and did a self portrait last night for warm ups. Hopefully it will help remind me to take things for what they are worth and stay in the present time. My better work is completed when I start off with an honest belief that this piece is just something to pass the time with. It could go in the trash, in the closet, who cares... it is play time for me. For each of us. Remember that. This is supposed to be fun. iF it isn't fun, you are doing it wrong.

8 comments:

bruce said...

WOW! This is just beautiful. By the looks of this I would never have guessed you were having any trouble.

As far as "fun" goes; yeah. And yet somehow "fun" can sometimes become elusive. Why is that?

dugbuddy said...

Bruce, Thanks man. Interesting question... I ask that a lot. My only conclusion for myself has been that I heap expectations, outlandish goals, all on the outcome of a drawing or series of drawings. The drawings and I are then defeated before we ever get out of the starting blocks. When I honestly mean that I do not care if the piece ends up in the trash or not, all expectations, pressures, and guilt is lifted and creativity is allowed to flow in and out as it naturally should. Stupid brain.

Tobias Schwarz said...

does not look like any trouble. Very nice!

Lacey said...

OOOooooh, this one is nice. Great marks, nice contemplative expression.

PS: Thanks for being the KCK blogs sole follower! lol

dugbuddy said...

Thanks Tobias, I guess it is much easier in a home type surrounding with family and the dog. Work is just that... work. Stress, tension, it is a challenge for me to just turn a switch and say POOF! now draw. I am having trouble downshifting so quickly at work.

Lacey, thanks so much. I don't want to be thought of as the sole follower, just the FIRST follower. That way I am a trend setter. Yeah.

Kev Levell said...

"This is supposed to be fun. iF it isn't fun, you are doing it wrong."

Wise words sir, and you must have had fun with this one - because there's nothing wrong with it at all!

Lovely staging, was it a two mirror job?

Breadwig said...

Sage words from a sage man. A marjoram man as well. Fun is so key, and can be so slippery.

dugbuddy said...

Thanks Bryan and Kevin. I can't speak for anybody else, but with the news outlets leaching any spark of light from me, I find that I tend to skip over the process, the enjoyment of the "doing", of being in the present, and imagine some finished instant solution. It is the doing that is the real reward. That is where the discovery comes in, that is where the child is allowed to come out again and live among us freely.