Pages

Thursday 18 August 2011

Experiment 2.

I really don't know how I dare post this, but I am not in the mood to edit my work right now. I feel like showing what's coming off my shaky little production line as it goes along. I might delete all my mediocre work at the end of the year as a gift to myself but posting on my blog helps me in very strange ways. Long ago I promised myself I would do a sketch or small watercolour each night to keep the old elbow greased with the obvious goal of learning a little faster than I would if I only painted on the weekends when time, good lighting and 'studio' set-up was more conducive to supporting good work. Last night I started this homage to my favourite self portrait of Rembrandt. I had previously done it in charcoal and liked it apart from the fact that some of the proportions of his features were slightly wrong. In this much smaller work, the same problems arose in capturing his features accurately. I did a tracing and found that tracing marks do not take on watercolour paper very well and even though the face is much closer to the original portrait than my charcoal work, it is frustrating to discover that only a millimetre out of exactitude can totally destroy a work. I retraced over it tonight which improved it slightly and tried to hide some of the mistakes with pen and ink and pastel. It's a start, even though a little rough and tumble.

"Sketch - Homage to a Rembrandt Self Portrait"
Watercolour, Pen and Ink, Pastel on Watercolour Paper 6" x 7"

4 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Sheesh, Anne! I see nothing wrong at all and I think this is quite a masterful portrait! I am loving these works and so wish I could challenge myself as you have. It is all I can do to manage one or two pieces a month!

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks Sherry! From your output it looks like more than two a month but you do some wonderful craftwork as well.

Chartan said...

wonderful Anne. I saw this very portrait in Stockholm, I like yours the best LOL. Jokes aside you are doing fabulous work. I am traveling so it is hard to always have time and internet access, plus I am fighting over my computer with my young traveling companion. I wish I had some paints and brushes, your work is inspiring.....

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks Charlotte! I thought you might still be on the road as I had seen the 'shoe tree' pic on your blog some time back. Hope you are having a great time. Treat yourself to a small watercolour set and mini watercolour paper block that you can pack in your luggage!! :-)