finish my painting

because i was frustrated and sad because i didn’t really know what else to do with myself… with that time. ugh. frustrated but the paint always helps. so i got rid of the background completely. no buildings, no people, just hues of rose and burgundy… and it works. praise frustration to make the portrait more interesting than it was in the beginning. i also added little folds and wrinkles on my subject’s shirt. the rosy background made it onto the shirt too. it’s weird but it works.

tonight is the night i finish already. i’m tired of looking at this same dude every day! it needs something, definitely. tonight i finish, even if it sucks. after all, it’s only on paper. i was too afraid to do it on canvas. ain’t that a drag!

It began with a little portrait of a controversial author I had never heard of before. The black and white newspaper photo was powerful and inspiring, and I thought it would make a good oil painting. I haven’t played with oils in YEARS, but I thought it was time. I jumped in full force and am 80% done. But things have changed. I look at the painting and feel it needs something other than what the original shows. I want to add surreal elements to it- not simply copy the original photo. I’m conflicted and afraid to finish. What’s the worse thing that could happen? I even avoided painting it on canvas so that it would seem more disposable.

I am ALMOST done with my portrait this controversial writer who I had never heard of before. It is looking pretty good I think…