Self Portrait

For this year's self portrait we could either do a colored portrait or one using our signature. I decided to do a colored self portrait using watercolor. I used the grid technique to allow me to proportion it identical to my reference photo. I then sketched the my drawing out with a light pencil and labeled all the squares that would be colored black with a b. After I sketched, I erased the grid from my paper in order to to not have any grid lines showing. Once I was done with my sketch I started with the water color. The first color I filled in was black, and then I did the lighter grays and skin color. I saved the hair for last because I knew I could do different values of red in order to bring more volume to my painting. This project involved a lot of line, color, and emphasis. The emphasis came with the dark background and the light colors that make up me. I did multiple layers of black water color in order to get that emphasis between the light and dark.

The picture I chose to draw used low key light which I then showed in my painting with the use of the black water color and gray highlights. My painting is also in soft focus which means that none of the lines are crystal clear. As I was painting I went back with the light gray and added shadows in places. I also added layers of red in different shades to add a layer affect to my hair.

The day before this project started, my friend and I did a photoshoot so I chose a photo of myself from that which I wanted to draw. I chose to use the watercolors because they would be a tool that I don't use often so I wanted to try new things. I wish I had stuck to graphite because the watercolors bleed into sections that I wouldn't want a certain color in.