My portrait project that I’ve been picking away at for ages.
This was quite the undertaking due to the amount of things I kept slapping on it as well as the actual size of the piece I was working on, but I got it done eventually!
((Before we get into all that, larger image can be found here if you’re interested.))
It all started with this. A discarded makeup advertisement from work. Or rather, the large plastic frame the ad itself was housed in. I saw it ready to be tossed out and knew it had to come home with me.
Urban Decay, thanks for the fraaaame~
Just look at this! Begging to be recycled into something great.
And so reflective too! It’s perfect.
So I bought a sheet of Bristol board, cut it to match the size of the makeup ad and started brainstorming.
The beginnings of an idea are coming together here. I knew I wanted to do a portrait and paint the hair in a special way. This is the earliest draft of the pose.
Took a photo of the paint sketch so I could reference it from my phone while drawing it away from my computer.
Here the sketch is starting to take form.
About here is when it turned into a self portrait. I was using a mirror to double check the positioning of the arms and I decided, “Sure if I’m going to spend all this time on it, let’s just make it me for the hell of it.” Rare be it I draw myself.
Decided the expression I wanted to focus on was the face I make when I laugh at something so hard I’m just about to cry. A positive feeling for sure!
Adding abstract designs and colours.
With stars added! Lookin’ good.
More designs added. Just really adding whatever comes to mind.
Most of the marker work is done at this point, and boy am I liking the look of it.
Beginning to paint the hair. Looks a little messy (ew lol), and that’s because I’m using my hand prints to lay down the shape! This was something I had wanted to try at on a piece for aaaaages, and finally getting to do it is honestly pretty great. Something to check off my personal art list.
Looking a bit better now that there’s another layer of paint.
Feline Inspection Agency checking out my portrait while I was trying to snap a finished photo of it to upload.
And one final shiny shot of it complete and in the frame.
Hope you enjoyed this look into my artistic process!