Thursday, December 8, 2011

Self Portrait

16 x 12 oil on masonite panel
I always have to feel my way along with proportions.  I've heard about the rules of feature placement (Peggy Kroll Roberts', etc.) but those just confuse me.  What I need to do is hang myself upside down like a bat and then paint what I see, since I'm not working from a photo.  If you don't know about that trick, turning your reference photo upside down makes you see big value shapes and exactly where they are so you don't rely on what you *think* you know/see in front of you.

17 comments:

martinealison said...

Il n'est pas simple de peindre son auto-portrait... Aussi je vous félicite pour cette réalisation...
Les nuances de couleurs sont plaisantes et attrayantes...
Gros bisous

dominique eichi said...

I WANT TO SEE YOU PAINT UPSIDE DOWN !!!
yes yes yes
coming along great !

Stephanie Berry said...

I have not tried that yet but consider that a challenge! I like this. It has a moody look to it--were you being moody? Maybe just cold?!

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Martine-Alison and Dominique, I'm so happy you like it so far, thanks for commenting, girlies! I'm off to go hang upside down now, it's getting dark...

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Thanks, Stephanie! I was cold definitely at first, then it warmed up a little and I wanted to dump that robe. But I frown a little to see better (nearsighted in that eye in the sunlight), so that accounts for the moody look :) I was in a perfectly delightful mood, for the record ~ nothing better than doing your job at home in your robe if you ask me! :D Even if it's cold...

Dana Cooper said...

I love this portrait Camille, it has your beautiful signature color and style. Self portraits in the mirror are hard at best and this one is wonderful. Bravo!
Since I can't paint upside down either, I put a dot on my nose and chin and on the mirror to line up every time.

Edward Burton said...

Fantastic job, Camille!

Unknown said...

Thank you for finding my blog and your lovely comments Camille! I love your self portrait! Incidentally my daughter's name is Camille too!

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Thank you sooo much, Dana, Edward and Haidee-Jo!

suzannepaints said...

Beautiful! You captured your sweet little self. Are you giving someone the skunk eye?

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Thank you so much, Suzanne!

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Oh, and yes, I'm giving those bags and sags I saw the stink eye! That sight in the bright sunlight will sober you up quick!

hmuxo said...

Beautiful self-portrait! I'm very impressed!

dominique eichi said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family : )

Douglas Clark said...

I think your colors are very pleasing in this self portrait.

J.Farnsworth said...

Don't know how I missed this so many months ago, but I think it's fantastic. Very painterly, moody, and compelling. Limited palette? Feels like it an successfully so.

As to painting upside down, I can tell you're stretching the truth a bit, because I tried it too, and the robe kept hanging over my face.

That is, unless you've mastered the extra robe belt at your ankles. (Or do you tuck it into your ninja boots.)

Personally, I will not be attempting a self portrait until my I learn how to squint REALLY intensely and can get it down to about three blurry shapes.

Keep it up,
g

Camille LaRue Olsen said...

Thanks so much, Hilda, Dominique, Douglas and Gringo!