Self-portrait

This is the first self-portrait I've done in a long time - maybe 20 years! (Of course, now I see everything I don't like about both the portrait, and my face!) I'm not showing you the whole picture - there are some problems on the right side that I'll try to fix tomorrow. But I was pretty happy with this first attempt, and plan to do some more. I worked quickly, looking into a mirror; this picture (which includes my whole head, neck, and shoulders) took about two and a half hours.

Comments

[jo(e)]

Wow. That's amazing. I love how expressive that face is.

[Dick]

Both portrait and face look pretty good to me. I like particularly what seems to be a faintly startled expression, more akin to what might be captured in a photograph, as if you had caught yourself by surprise. There is a neutrality, a posed stillness to most self-portraits. This one is full of life.

[Beth]

Thank you, jo(e) and Dick. That's what I was aiming for - some vitality and immediacy - so I'm glad if it comes across!

[Teresa]

For a face in repose it is rather expressive. And the whole thing done in 2 hours. Wonderful.

T.

[Pica]

Love it, Beth. I know how much courage it takes to put self-portraits up on the blog!

[Natalie]

Yes! Beth, bravo and brava! I want to see the whole thing, even though the cropped close-up works really well as is.

[Siona]

I cannot see this without remembering immediately the self-portraits Rembrant created over his own lifetime, and how poignantly they increased not only in skill, but in honesty.

And Beth... you're beautiful.

[Vivian]

I was shocked at first by this portrait, so not calm, not in repose. almost brutal in your candour, how you went about it. But now It peeps out from my safari homepage (one of six, between the NYT and the Guardian) and I have grown to delight when I see it. when I see you. Thank you for breaking ground in the courage department!!