This is a self portrait, the original drawing is much bigger but I have decided that I hate all of it but this corner. I think that is the problem with the rest of it, I never liked it... and it shows in the finished product. I am thinking of going back in and seeing what I can do to help the unseen portion. I love cicada's and I didn't give this one the attention I usually would have.
Maybe I will just cut the whole thing down and keep the part I already like.
Artist adventures...ha ha.
Speaking of self portraits, I want to do more of them. I have never been a big fan of drawing myself; one-because I am really hard to draw, two- I feel too vain.
I have never been someone to just sit and stare at myself but last night I watched (and made Matt watch) The Notebook, and this movie made me start really thinking about how good it is to be young and healthy. I should record my youth more. BUT maybe staring at myself won't make me feel any better about getting older. When will I finally get comfortable with aging? Will I ever? Anyway, I think it's funny how a "chick flick" can make me wake up and appreciate my youth in these times I take it for granted.
happy Thursday,
-Niff
it's funny to hear you say that you hate self-portraits... at least your drawings look like you! i can never seem to get a resemblance down well enough to feel vain.
being 27, i think i'm beginning to appreciate my youth more too. the fact that i thought i had life figured out 10 yrs ago reminds me that i have no clue about life at all. at least i still get mistaken for being 17. ye good olde shortness factor.
Posted by: seeks | August 04, 2005 at 09:38 AM
I'm curious about the rest of this. I like the unfinished quality, but with the black box, the composition now feels a little side- heavy- my eye keeps going to the box. What does the rest look like?
Posted by: rachael | August 04, 2005 at 10:05 AM
Not to diss on your sense of compostition Rachael, but this small section has the rule of 3 going on: the black box is heavy, but I will argue about it being one sided because as viewers we are drawn to the human eye...when I look at this piece I first see the eye, then the square and the vertical line which leads me down to the cicada...and back to the eye.
the whole piece is long, and there are 6 other cicadas, and a large red #2 with a black star on the shirt.
kinda hard to explain...I think the compostion in this piece is way better than in the whole.
Posted by: niff | August 04, 2005 at 10:52 AM
niff-you will have to go over the principals of composition with me one of these days; if there's one thing i don't pick up naturally, it'd be throwing a football, closely followed by composition.
Posted by: seeks | August 04, 2005 at 12:50 PM
Get off it. This thing is awesome. It was a gift for someone's 27th birthday, right.
Don't listen to The Niff- this thing roxors.
I thought this was a sketch blog, not a my work is terrible blog.
Posted by: ian | August 04, 2005 at 01:20 PM
Hey seeks,
it's all about balance, and moving the [the viewers]eye around. the point is to have a natural flow, that leads they eye around the picture.
I guess I did have 4 years of really expensive professional training, but I also think it's just something that comes naturally.
you don't give yourself enough credit.
Posted by: niff | August 04, 2005 at 01:23 PM
haha! Thanks (i think)Ian, I am not trying to say my stuff is terrible, just trying to talk honestly about sketches...
Posted by: niff | August 04, 2005 at 01:46 PM
I'm going to go ahead and agree with Ian that this (what I get to see) is super awesome. And that I would put money on the rest of it being equally beautiful.
Jen, I think you are easily one of the most amazing artists I've seen, you have a way of making your work look effortless. I love your color selection and am always taken back by your stuff. And though "Absolute confidence is a consolation prize for the less talented" I think think you can aford to gain more.
As far as the self portrait thing, I always found it an easy doodle. Like some people writing their name over and over, I sketch my features. Mainly because I know them, years of seeing myself in the mirror every morning and such. I feel like it's less of a vain thing, even though it is drawing myself.
Posted by: TheJones | August 04, 2005 at 02:51 PM
you've always done excellent in drawing yourself. like the one you did on the very first picture for this website. i, of course, liked the stars on it...
my untrained eye goes immediately to the right eye...
Posted by: mcGert* | August 04, 2005 at 02:54 PM
Jones: WOW, geez...thank you soooo much. Coming from an amazing artist like yourself that really means a lot. I will try to be more confident, It's just that I'm used to hard critiques.
McGert*: see, I know what I'm talking about! =) haha.
Posted by: niff | August 04, 2005 at 03:07 PM
good lord. I just discovered your blog. where have I been? you guys are brilliant. please be my friend.
Posted by: Amanda | August 06, 2005 at 10:29 PM