From the Artist: I wasn't really sure what I was aiming for when I began this project. I knew that my hands would be an important part of my self-portrait because they are always the first thing I look at when posed with the question "who are you?".
Since the painting began it has taken on a life of its own, and seems to have been screaming out for more and more depth. I guess that was my own journey of self-discovery. The dominant color has changed several times from blues through yellows and reds, but I was never satisfied. Although this project calls for an expressionist painting I found myself trying to find an absolute truth and even at this point I'm fighting the urge to add more and more detail. The hands in comparison to the face were much easier to render as I am not so afraid of them being judged.
I have given this piece the title Man and Boy because the expression seems to capture the fear left over from my childhood.
From the Painting Guide: I think this is a fabulous composition, giving your hands so much prominence. Not only are hands are crucial tools to an artist, but the way you've arranged them also frames you face, reminiscent of the way you see artists visually cropping a scene with their fingers. One picky point: I think the right forearm is a bit narrow.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Color as Symbolism or Meaning: The dominant red adds to the sense of anxiety conveyed in the facial expression and the composition because of the associations we have with the color which range from anger to blood. To me the reds in the skin colors convey a sense of frustration at being trapped, which is portrayed in a literal manner too as the artist being caught within the edges of the canvas.
Since the painting began it has taken on a life of its own, and seems to have been screaming out for more and more depth. I guess that was my own journey of self-discovery. The dominant color has changed several times from blues through yellows and reds, but I was never satisfied. Although this project calls for an expressionist painting I found myself trying to find an absolute truth and even at this point I'm fighting the urge to add more and more detail. The hands in comparison to the face were much easier to render as I am not so afraid of them being judged.
I have given this piece the title Man and Boy because the expression seems to capture the fear left over from my childhood.
From the Painting Guide: I think this is a fabulous composition, giving your hands so much prominence. Not only are hands are crucial tools to an artist, but the way you've arranged them also frames you face, reminiscent of the way you see artists visually cropping a scene with their fingers. One picky point: I think the right forearm is a bit narrow.
Things to Consider When Looking at This Painting:
Color as Symbolism or Meaning: The dominant red adds to the sense of anxiety conveyed in the facial expression and the composition because of the associations we have with the color which range from anger to blood. To me the reds in the skin colors convey a sense of frustration at being trapped, which is portrayed in a literal manner too as the artist being caught within the edges of the canvas.