How/Why I Painted It & Who It Is
The art club I belong to has a monthly theme competition. The theme for March 2010 was a self portrait. I painted it from a black and white photo taken when I was twenty one.
How I Feel About This Painting
I had never felt inclined to paint a self portrait. I guess I thought that it was a little vain. I have made the chin too long, and the lower lip a little too thick. I really dislike the way I have done the highlights of the hair. The colour is all wrong. Perhaps I should have painted them using a bluish tinge.
In spite of all this my family says that it is a pretty good likeness.
Tips and Tricks
- I did the underpainting in black and white acrylic paint and then painted over it with oils. It is the first time that I have tried this technique. I found that it really helped in arriving at all the various tones. More simple than mixing them in colour. It was then easier when I had to match the tone in a colour.
