I still haven’t touched my canvas but I didn’t want to miss Paint Party Friday this week so I decided on a little self portrait practice in watercolor today. This isn’t a partial image. I painted it in my little 5″x8″ watercolor book and didn’t paint all the way to the gutter so this is 4 1/2″ x 8″. I didn’t want to try to get my whole head in 4″ so I painted a cropped version. Yes, I really do have a freakishly long space between my nose and upper lip. It runs in the family.
When I sketched it, I just couldn’t get something right and I thought it was the cheek/jaw line. Finally I decided to scan it because I always see glaring errors when I look at my drawings on the monitor even when I can’t see them in the drawing itself. Turns out, the mouth wasn’t nearly wide enough. I saw it as soon as it came up on screen. Isn’t that weird how things show up like that on the monitor? And isn’t it weird how one part being wrong makes other things look wrong that aren’t?
There was a flaw in this paper, like a piece of gray fiber that was raised but also embedded. It ended up being right in the eye. That would have been really irritating if this hadn’t been a practice piece. Anyway, it isn’t really finished and it isn’t great but it was good practice and it gets me into the party, LOL.
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the space isn’t freakish 🙂
you are pretty.
the watercolor is Divine. excellent use of a wide range of colors.
xx,
amy
VERY immpressive. I used to draw myself 30 years ago but don’t think I could do it now.
I love this piece!! I think it looks fantastic – you use watercolour so beautifully. I prefer just parts of a face (hence my eye series) I think there is something intriguing about only seeing part of the subject instead of the whole thing. If this is only a practice piece, I absolutely can’t wait to see the real deal – amazing!
This is fantastic! Look at all those shades! I really love it. 🙂
Oh! I love is great, very well done, is how difficult it is this with the technique of watercolor and very original frame.
Awesome ~ Love it! ~ You are adorable! ~thanks, namaste, Carol (Share the Creative Journey) and Happy PPF ^_^
This is beautiful. I love the cropped composition, and I think the flaw in the paper looks like a reflection in your iris.
Loving your self portrait, you are a beautiful woman. Happy PPF, Annette x
Amazing portrait. I love your artistry. There are a lot of us out here who would love to be so beautiful!
This is beautiful…amazing details and awesome realism with watercolor! You ROCK!
Well done! That’s one of my favorite ways to crop. I think it’s a great self-portrait – and it looks done to me. 🙂
I love the shadows and shades, very pretty, not at all freakish!
Oh My!!!
Absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!
Love the detail and colour in this painting.
Looks like you’ve captured your self quite nicely.
Really Wonderful. I like the “Scanning” trick to, it just seems to help to see it posted up on a monitor. Happy Paint Party Friday!
This is gorgeous! Wow, what you can do with watercolors is amazing. Such beautiful, soft colors. Love it. 🙂
This is an exquisite portrait!
So glad you created it and shared it with PPF!
Inspires me to try a self-portrait again!
Best,
Mary C. Nasser
you really have done a gorgeous job of painting yourself. your technique is quite appealing to me.
the monitor thing happens for me too. i always wonder why i can not see things with the original art.
thank you for your ppf visit.
This is great!!! Well done! I know what you mean about when you scan it. You see every flaw. I always scan before I say “done”.
Wow this is fantastic! And you are beautiful by the way! I really love how you did your eye! I have such trouble with eyes and anything realistic! You are very talented! Deb
This is such a BEAUTIFUL self portrait…I love it!! Maybe you can’t see the beauty we do…This is a fabulous job, you are so gifted!!
Hugs Giggles
This is great work. You have done a really good job of capturing your beauty. Nice job.
oh my goodness, there’s nothing freakish in this lovely portrait! lol I like the colors you used, and I agree, for some reason, you can see better the mistakes or funky sport in the monitor, could it be the size? or the light? Who knows…
Happy PPF
I admire your work, since watercolor has always fascinated and intimidated me. I may have to get out there and buy me one of those small watercolor sketchbooks one of these days. Thanks for the inspiration.
As for the flaws of our pieces popping out on the monitor, it happens every time I photograph a drawing, so I get you completely. Your self portrait, by the way, is excellent. You have great talent!
I LOVE this and I don’t think your upper lip is too long! I DO agree that putting work on a monitor makes our little mistakes so much easier to see….
Can’t wait to see the finished copy of your self portrait!
Happy PPF (a day late ;))
Stephanie
I think this is wonderful and the cropping is so interesting! I know exactly what you mean about seeing it on the monitor… sometimes photographing a piece digitally and looking at it in the camera can be enough to see what I need to fix too 🙂
xo
Kristin
Fabulous self- portrait! Beautiful in all ways!
In giggled to find out I am not the only that does this scanning for errors.
Imlove the composition and your face looks great.
AMAZING watercolor Melisa. Beautiful self portrait … a finished creation if you ask me. Well done!
This is absolutely beautiful work!! Stunning. Thanks for so much for your visit, nice to ‘meet’ you, hugs Jenny
oh my goodness, you’re so talented. I would love to be able to paint like that. Really stunning.