Friday, January 11, 2013

100 Faces Finished!

On December 29, 2012, I finished #100 of my 100 Faces Project. This was major for me, because it was the first time I followed through on a new year’s goal all the way to the end of the year.  I can thank you in part, because you were following my progress and holding me accountable!

My goal was to paint faster and more freely, to capture the important elements without fussing over details. When I only had 20 or 30 minutes, I did a face in that amount of time. Many of them were wiped off or painted over. I felt free to do that, because it wasn’t about having beautiful portraits to post. It was about consistent, focused practice.

When I did have more time, I worked to complete the portrait as accurately as I could. A few favorites were finished even more completely in additional painting sessions. This way, I learned from doing the special finishing touches, as well as from the fast studies. I’m amazed at how much I learned from the entire experience.

Now, as I contemplate my goal for the new year, I’d like to hear about yours! Feel free to comment here or email me directly. Thank you for your interest and encouragement throughout the year.

100 Faces - Introduction

After painting many portraits, I've found I can achieve the likeness, attitude and personality of my subjects, given enough time. Now I want to be able to create them faster!
My art goal for 2012 is to paint one hundred faces - small, quick practice studies, either from photos or from life, in whatever amount of time I have. If I only have an hour on a particular day, the idea is to complete the portrait in an hour. No time for fussing over details. I want to use larger brushes and more paint. Rough studies can have their own charm. Since it's just practice, I may throw them away, paint over them, or go back later to finish them further.

Click on the pictures below to enlarge and see the brushwork.