Friday, October 24, 2008

Big draw day 24

Grrr. First I left my camera overnight in the car. I was afraid I'd ruined it as the first try at taking pictures wouldn't work right. Guess it had to warm up, as it is okay now. Then, blogger now posts my photos in reverse order. Before they posted differently. So, now I have to remember to upload the photos in reverse order so they come out right. Makes no sense verbally.

Today I used an exercise from Dean Nimmer's Art from Intuition. I read of this book on Kim's blog. In a section on self-portraits he suggests making a self-portrait in the manner of an art movement. Instead, I made some in the manner of a particular artist. I chose these two since I have, by chance, little books of reproductions of their paintings. Most of my art books are still in storage.


Pen and conte crayon. After Picasso's Portrait of Madame Z.


Charcoal and conte crayon. After Rouault's Head of a Woman. Couldn't find a direct link to his painting and don't want to post the photo myself as I am not sure one can do that copyright-wise.

Brush pen and oil pastels. Another try at this pose.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Suki, I love these self portraits, they are so expressive. My favourite one is the Rouault Style painting, love the colours you used and those black strokes.
love
Andrea

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

These are fun. You are getting lots out of this drawing a day thing. I like the last one best.
I am finding that leaving messages is harder now. they have come up with a new way of leaving comments on some. Just when we get used to something they change it and dont let us know. arrgh.

Anonymous said...

How fun! I love these! Glad your camera is alright.

Lynn Cohen said...

Suki these are wonderful. I love the Picaso one. I knew who it was immediately, both him and YOU!
Looks like you! How fun. I was going to wait to the very end to try a self portrait but you are making me want to try sooner. ;-)

Yes, blogger is tricking us!

Tess Kincaid said...

Nice, Suki! The first one is my favorite.

sukipoet said...

Thanks, Andrea. I like that one the best too.

Cris, thanks for stopping by. I did have fun with this exercise for sure.

Thanks Annie. I think condensation got into the camera and the photos were hazy and indistinct at first. We had a 20 degree morning here

I guess a Picasso esque style is pretty recognizeable. You really think it looks like me????

Hi Willow. Thanks.

~Babs said...

Hi Suki,
I also have this book. Love the cover,,,
You've done a great job keeping up with these exercises!
I really adore the Picasso-ish one,,,but like all the color in the last a lot too.
Whew! Glad that camera was just on a time out,,,I'd sure hate for mine to be on the blink!

Teri said...

I have seen this book and wondered about it. Good to see your sketches.

Andrea and Kim said...

Ohh I love all of these a lot. I don't think I can make a choice between them. You are so good with this line making and then you put them together to create the delightful self-portraits! I love this.

I love this book, too. And you are inspiring me to use them more.

Also, when any of your electronics or electrical items are very cold, you need to let them warm up to room temperature before you use them. I only know this because of moving in the winter. So your camera should be fine, now. I am sorry it put you through the trauma, though.

Thanks Suki!

Art from Intuition said...

Dear Suki,
I saw your blog, and I wanted to thank you for using my book in your work. I'm glad that you found the self-portrait idea simulating, and I liked the way you adapted it for particular artists - nice work!
Best Regards, Dean Nimmer

Mary Richmond said...

these are wonderful, suki! what a great exercise and i love how you just jump right in and do it wholeheartedly ;-)

nice work!

Umā said...

love these self-portraits.
also, i've been having the same issue posting my images, and i can't get them to be as large either, though i go in and tweak the html code every time. hmmm.

KaiBlue said...

Aloha Suki,
wow those are cool portraits. Mine are just scribble sketchy, but yours have depth and fun, they capture your nature and features wonderfully.
To answer your question, I've had no formal art training, just a good box of pencils..:)
peace, Kai

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Suki, How great to receive a comment and compliment from author Dean Nimmer, Art From Intiution! I like your Picasso styled portrait.

patti said...

I love your Rouault self-portrait too. You really are expanding your creativity. Keep going!

sukipoet said...

Babs, it is a little big of a struggle now toward the end of the month to keep going. But i dont want to give up just days before the end. This was a fun exercise for sure. NOw, I wonder what a Georgia O'Keefe like portrait would be?

Welcome Dean Nimmer, thanks for stopping by. As you can see if you read through the comments a number of us are familiar with your book. !!!

Hi Teri, thanks for stopping by.

Kim, my camera panic came due to the fact that i saw condensation in side and thought it might not dry out. But it's fine now so whew. It was fun doing these derivitave self portraits.

Thanks Mary.

m. heart I dont know how to tweak the HTML code. However, I just select large in blogger upload window I think. Maybe blogger upgraded something and it made other somethings go Kookie.

sukipoet said...

kai, you have a wonderful innate talent for fine line drawings and observation.

Mary Ann, well it was quite a surprise to get that comment from Dean Nimmer. I wonder how he knew I posted about his book. Do some people get little notices when someone mentions their website??

Patti, thanks.

Anonymous said...

I love your self-portraits, Suki. What a great idea, and the art from intuition book sounds very good. People seem to find specific blog posts so fast! A couple of weeks ago I reviewed a children's book and a day later, the writer popped in to thank me for my review!

Anonymous said...

WoW! I love these drawings. What inspired use of Dean's book and, most of all, such an honor to him as dedicated teacher and author. As the person in the duct-taped jeans and gradient hair on the cover of the book and Dean's friend and tech person/assistant, I have been privileged to assist at a few of Dean's workshops and have made some great strides from the exercises in the book. It is so nice to see the book put to such intuitive use and beautiful outcomes. You have inspired me to get off my butt and into that chapter to try those exercises.
Wonderfully done- Mo

sukipoet said...

Hi Belle. the self portraits were fun and I'm thinking for next year's big draw maybe doing one a day. Of course I could do that now but I think I need the pressure of the commintment to keep me going. Plus who knows where i will be or what I'll want to do in a year.

Hi Mo. Welcome and thanks for stopping by. It turns out that a number of us in the big draw have the book. And maybe more will get it. That is such a great cover and picture of you. It must be such fun to be friends with him and also work with him. Wow. In yoga, they say as an answer to just about everything--"Do more yoga." I think one could also say "Do more artwork.

soulbrush said...

your buddha has such character, the more squiff he is the better....man oh man these are terrific...i still haven't tried doing msyelf with eyes closed, this is so inspiring and you are such a good artist, will look for this book too. thanks

Karen Salva said...

Wow, a great post again and wonderful comments, very exciting about the Dean Nimmer. He probably just saw your address in his stats...maybe? Anyway...Love the amount of color you used in the last one. I need to get out some colors!

sukipoet said...

Hi soulbrush. My buddha has soul eh? I actually have never heard the word squiff. Must be British?? Thanks for you kind words re: my drawings. The books, both that I have used in the big draw, have good ideas in them.

Karen, I was trying to imitate a little Rouault's use of colors but they are duller of course with oil pastels rather than paints. Some people have those things in their sidebar the tell where a recent comment came from so maybe he has something like that.