New Paintings: Self-Portraits

self-portrait-

I’ve painted a few self-portraits over the past couple of years, despite the fact that my family always mock me for portraying myself with a double-chin. I think the most commonly used phrase is ‘Dad, you look like a frog…’ but to my way of thinking, I’m just trying to earn myself the right to ‘paint what I see’.

This first picture won second prize in the Holyhead ‘Art for All’ exhibition held at the Ucheldre Centre in 2009(?)

Self-Portrait (Oil on Canvas 50cm x 60cm)
Self-Portrait (Oil on Canvas 50cm x 60cm)

This second drawing hasn’t photographed well, due to being behind glass, so it appears overexposed.

Distance
Distance (Charcoal on Paper 41cm x 30cm)

This third sketch was accepted into the Kyffin Williams Drawing competition exhibition held in Oriel Ynys Môn in Llangefni. It was drawn with a mirror propped on my lap so as to produce a slightly disorientating view and was done in a mad rush on the last day that they were accepting entries, due to the fact that I got the dates mixed up!

Self-portrait 3 (Pencil on coloured paper 59cm x 42cm)

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Picking Up Brushes Again

portrait-of-dad
Portrait of Dad
Dad (Oil on canvas 50cm x 40cm)

I painted this for my Dad’s 70th birthday, having been inspired to pick up my paintbrushes again by David Hockney’s absolutely fascinating book, Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the lost techniques of the Old Masters, in which he posits that there is clear evidence in the work of the Old Masters that they made great use of optics to support and enhance their artistry.

This book appears to have caused a lot of controversy amongst the artistic community at the time, but it certainly encouraged me to look afresh at some wonderful paintings and still left me with a sense of awe about the skills involved in creating them.

Having painted my Dad’s portrait, I followed in quick succession with portraits of my mate, Rob, and my wife, Netty, using the same grisaille style.

Portrait of Rob
Portrait of Rob (Oil on canvas 50cm x 40cm)
Portrait of Netty
Portrait of Netty (Oil on canvas 50cm x 40cm)

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