Painting A Child - Stretching Myself As An Artist
Continuing along with the idea of stretching myself as an artist, I took on a project this week that I have always avoided.
As an artist I have stayed away from trying to portray people. People have more personality than "things" and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to put their true life into a painting or illustration and therefore never felt led to paint them....until recently.
My niece and her husband had a baby girl a few months ago and she dresses her adorable for every holiday. I received a card in the mail for Valentine's Day and after looking at it on my refrigerator for a few weeks, I felt compelled to try painting her from the photo. After telling myself over and over that I don't paint people, I finally asked myself one day, why not?
What was that fear all about? No one needed to see it, it would just be a test or a trial for me.
So I set up a board and a palette and decided to give it a try.
I have decided not to be afraid of the unknown anymore but to take more chances with my artwork and therefore, I am going to share my very first painting of a human with you.
It isn't perfect but I feel with more practice I could actually get better at it. I could have kept going and fussed a lot more, there are many places that seem a little harsh and not as blended as they should be, but that is the beauty of art, representational is sometimes better than realism. It shows that it is actually art.
On my next attempt at a human I will fuss and blend more, but I decided to stop here for this painting and give it to my niece as is.
I think it was important as an artist that I took a chance and actually gave it a try. Whatever your art may be, step out of the box from time to time and stretch yourself, the goal isn't perfection, it's creativity and enjoying the process. :) Tracy
As an artist I have stayed away from trying to portray people. People have more personality than "things" and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to put their true life into a painting or illustration and therefore never felt led to paint them....until recently.
My niece and her husband had a baby girl a few months ago and she dresses her adorable for every holiday. I received a card in the mail for Valentine's Day and after looking at it on my refrigerator for a few weeks, I felt compelled to try painting her from the photo. After telling myself over and over that I don't paint people, I finally asked myself one day, why not?
What was that fear all about? No one needed to see it, it would just be a test or a trial for me.
So I set up a board and a palette and decided to give it a try.
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| My color palette |
I have decided not to be afraid of the unknown anymore but to take more chances with my artwork and therefore, I am going to share my very first painting of a human with you.
It isn't perfect but I feel with more practice I could actually get better at it. I could have kept going and fussed a lot more, there are many places that seem a little harsh and not as blended as they should be, but that is the beauty of art, representational is sometimes better than realism. It shows that it is actually art.
On my next attempt at a human I will fuss and blend more, but I decided to stop here for this painting and give it to my niece as is.
I think it was important as an artist that I took a chance and actually gave it a try. Whatever your art may be, step out of the box from time to time and stretch yourself, the goal isn't perfection, it's creativity and enjoying the process. :) Tracy
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