Day 349

I've wanted to do one like this for quite awhile, but I just haven't made myself do it.

My Drawing students and I share a regular joke about my love of shadows. I don't know what it is, but I am absolutely captivated by the effects of light and how it can create dazzling effects with darkness within a composition. For my money, a good shadow within an artwork can turn something that's merely medicore into something outstanding.

I am particularly fond of the extreme light and darks in the paintings of Caravaggio. (The term for this is chiaroscuro, and for the record, it's a damned fun word to say out loud!) I'm pretty pleased with the great contrast that I got in today's self-portrait. As a bit of a preview, this is what I plan to incorporate into my painting style as well.

#349 October 4, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Day 339

It seems like it's been awhile since I've done several of the things that are present in this self-portrait.

I love working in charcoal, which I haven't done for several days.

I love working on colored papar, especially on an ordinary brown paper bag. (The texture is fabulous!)

And Katey asked me to do a self-portrait that was more realistic because some of her favorites throughout this entire project were those that favored realism.

I suppose I can go one step farther and mention that it's obvious on which days I've had more time to make my self-portrait. That's been one thing that should have been predictable when I originally started this project...yet it wasn't. Don't get me wrong: I have still been relatively pleased with all of my artworks, even the vast majority of those on days where I didn't have a large amount of time to devote to art-making. But I really think that in the beginning I expected to be able to work for an extended period of time each day. And regrettably, it didn't work out that way.

But I have made some pretty significant changes in my lifestyle over the past few weeks and have committed to a re-focus toward the things that are truly important (while abandoning those that are utterly meaningless)...and it has made a world of difference. I feel a sense of renewal to be as productive as I have been, and I have no doubt that I will fight like hell to keep the momentum going...

#339 September 24, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Day 302

A friend who is a fellow art instructor told me tonight that she had been sharing this project with her students, and had used it as a teaching tool while they did their own self-portraits. This is not the first time I've been told this, and each time I hear it, I am so very moved. Of course, I'm proud of the project on a personal level (okay, more some days than others!) but it's pretty wonderful to inspire other people to make their own art as well!!

She said that her students really seemed to like the "freakier" self-portraits, such as the ones where I don't have eyes. I figured since I've focused on them several times lately, this would be a good opportunity to place a bit of an emphasis on my eyes by de-emphasizing them this time around.

Plus, I've gotta agree with those kids: I really love the freaky ones too!

#302 August 18, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag
Sounds: The Beatles, The Beatles (The White Album)

Day 300

I still love drawing on colored paper, and I think I love it more when it's a brown paper grocery bag!

#300 August 16, 2011,  Ink and acrylic on brown paper bag
Sounds: Butch Walker,  Letters

Day 298

For as long I can remember, I've been drawn to imagery that does something to a person's eyes. I am especially drawn to various forms of blindness or loss of eyesight. Of course, this can come in many ways: closed eyes, blindfolds, covered eyes, actual physical blindness, the list goes on.

In a sense, I suppose a shroud of mystery surrounds a person who cannot or chooses not to see what's around them. As for me, I tend to wonder what the person is thinking or the circumstances that cause them to look inward. When it comes to my art, it should be no surprise that I love keeping it a secret!

(As an aside, I'll point out that this self-portrait was made on a brown paper grocery bag. As I was cropping the image, I noticed the word "HUSKY" stamped on the bag and thought it would be fun to leave it!)

#298 August 14, 2011,  Ebony pencil and charcoal on brown paper bag
Sounds:  Ryan Adams, Gold

Day 281

I won't lie; this idea came directly from an old Pink Panther cartoon. He bought a car (and painted it pink, of course) that was several sizes too small for his long legs and got into predictable adventures over the course of a four minute episode.

The real question is: how in the world did it happen that I would use that as inpiration?! 

The answer is simple: I have no idea!  It just came to mind for some reason and I ran with it...

#281 July 28, 2011,  Sharpie marker on brown paper bag

Day 279

I really like the doodle quality of today's self-portrait. It reminds me of the kind of art a person makes when they are aimlessly making marks while their mind is occupied with something else. In fact, I find it extremely interesting how the drawings a person makes in those situations can fairly accurately portray their emotional state.

In this case, however, I was consciously focusing on this drawing so I was aware of what I was doing. On the other hand, the swirls are pretty light-hearted, so they technically create a good representation of my mindset at the time...

#279 July 26, 2011,  Ballpoint pen on brown paper bag

Day 278

It's been awhile since I worked on a brown paper bag. My full intention was to use charcoal and conte as I have done several times during this project. But once a few preliminary scribbles were made in pencil, I knew that ink would be a much better option.

Despite the expression on my face, this drawing didn't come from a negative place. I was inspired, at least to an extent, by comic book and graphic novel illustration, which is an area that I actually know very little about, but would love to explore a lot more.

#278 July 25, 2011,  Ink and acrylic on brown paper bag

Day 139

Every now and then, it's nice to jump around from material to material, process to process. One thing that I've discovered throughout this entire project is that there are certain materials that I really love to work with, and some "old classics" that I either do not like to use or that I get bored with easily. In that regard, I have personally discovered that pencil is one material that I prefer to use as a preliminary material before adding pen or ink or paint. And I have learned that I really enjoy using ink.

This is another one of those self-portraits that might not bear the most striking resemblance to me. However, it was made solely with ink and a brush, with no pre-drawing. I really love the immediacy of this process and how it's a direct, almost gestural image. The minimalist approach with very few lines is also rather new to me, as I used to believe that the best way to make a portrait was to portray each and every nuance of a person's face. Frankly, I would simply work a drawing to death!  It's pretty refreshing to create a quick depiction of someone with loose expressive lines. I think that tells a lot more of the story anyway.

#139 March 8, 2011,  Ink on brown paper bag

Day 125

As I was sitting through a mindless/endless/needless work meeting today, the word "wiki" was mentioned. My colleague who was sitting next to me (a man roughly my age) remarked how we used to be the people who made fun of those who didn't know how to program their VCRs. With today's technology, WE are now those people, because neither of us really even knew what a wiki actually is!  At any rate, one thing led to another and I made a joke that I'm sure has been made countless times: what does a wiki look like?  I wonder if a wiki is anything like a Hawaiian tiki mask!  I had a pen in hand and a sheet of paper in front of me and the sketching commenced...

This is also the first time that I am showing my daily self portrait in two states.  Once again, I'm using a brown paper bag as my substrate, but this time I used ink and a brush to create the image.  I was fairly pleased with the result but I wasn't sure if it was actually finished.  So...I went ahead and scanned it.

#125 February 22, 2011,  Ink on brown paper bag (1st state)
Sounds: American Graffiti, 41 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of American Graffiti


It was at this point that I decided the drawing was not finished.  I felt like there wasn't a strong contrast or enough "pop" to the image, so I went back in with white acrylic paint.  There's no doubt that it became a totally different and much better drawing.  NOW I'm pleased with it...

#125 February 22, 2011,  Ink and acrylic on brown paper bag (final state)
Sounds: American Graffiti, 41 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of American Graffiti

Day 124

There are times such as tonight that this project would have been much better suited to remain private and personal. I consider it an artistic sin for an artist to feel they need to edit both their words and their imagery in order to maintain some degree of isolation for their true thoughts and feelings.

In other words, I have nothing more to say tonight...

#124 February 21, 2011,  Pen on brown paper bag

Day 123

This drawing tells the story of a person who wishes for the respect and admiration of another, and has come to the unfortunate realization that all of their efforts are not as appreciated as they had thought.  Certainly these things should be earned, but they should also not be irrationally withheld.

I've always found it interesting when certain discoveries are made.  Based on the previous 122 portraits in this project, a couple things are obvious.  First of all, I have made a lot of drawings in pen that feature a very prominent heavy outline.  Secondly, I have made several drawings, albeit in charcoal, on brown paper bag.  Last night I was looking at the website of one of my former students, Derek Rippe, and was impressed by his use of that similar style, although his work is made in a much more minimal manner than I employ.  I'll admit that the style of this drawing was inspired by his artwork.  Be sure to check out his fabulous art!

#123 February 20, 2011,  Pen on brown paper bag
Sounds:  Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

Day 122

Any time I go to the liquor store, I always ask for my purchase to be bagged because I know I'll get some new drawing paper!

So, I've had a couple days of semi-realistic self-portraits.  I think I want to break that trend when I work on my next one...

#122 February 19, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Day 115

Unlike last night's drawing which had a plan from the beginning (although I didn't stick with it), I had absolutely no idea where tonight's self-portrait was going as I sat down to draw. I chose to use charcoal on brown paper bag, which has become a favorite of mine because of the great contrast that can be achieved. Furthermore, I really enjoy the rectangular format that is offered from a bag that fits a wine bottle!

This drawing is meant to be a bit of a peace offering, if only to myself. It seems that most of the drawings or paintings I make that include a blackbirds have a very confrontational feeling to them. I'll readily admit that usually this is my chosen effect - but not always. I like the expression on my face indicating that I'm still a bit wary of the bird's gesture. Perhaps the intentions of the bird are honorable, and perhaps it's merely a trick.

I've mentioned before that birds (especially black ones) are a very important aspect to my art. I think that their sometimes ominous image, in addition to the gift of flight and all of the various cultural symbolisms associated with birds, make them a very useful device for storytelling. In this instance, of course I will not reveal exactly what the bird represents to me. I think that it's much more important for you, the viewer, to determine what the bird means to you, and how it applies to your story.

#115 February 12, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag
Sounds: Cross Canadian Ragweed,  Garage

Day 103

Here's how a stream-of-consciousness drawing happens: because I have worn my hair a little spiked over the past several days, I had the idea to portray myself with nails for my hair. As I was working on the drawing, my daughters started weighing in on what they thought it actually was: pencils, paint brushes, a tub of popcorn (yes, really), and a crown.

The drawing was happening, but it simply wasn't working for me. Honestly, I was feeling a little down about the entire drawing process tonight. So I went to what has become my #2 Stand-by: using charcoal on a brown paper bag that I carried a bottle of wine home in.

Based on the girls' interpretations, I re-visited an idea that that I technically already had, but has never seen reality until tonight: a floating crown directly over my head. I'm not sure I have any thoughts on what this self-portrait means, but I like the idea. I think I'll do another one with this theme again someday...

#103 January 31, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Sounds: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Long After Dark

Day 93

I'm not sure that I want to use the cliched phrase that says the eyes are the windows to the soul.

However, I am fairly certain that I think that the eyes are person's most important feature. When it comes to deciphering a particular emotion, the eyes are a great indicator. For the most part, when we have a face to face conversation with someone, generally we look at the other person's eyes. And sometimes the eyes are tied to identity; we've all see the images of a bar placed over a person's eyes in an attempt to protect their anonymity.

I've always been drawn to eyes. I love to look at them, I love to draw them. Sometimes I've been told that my eyes are my best feature. I even have a tattoo on my shoulder depicting the Ancient Egyptian symbol of the Eye of Horus. Regardless, tonight's self-portrait is actually a portion of my image, but I think that it goes a long way toward capturing the real me.

So go ahead and call this the window to my soul if you like - I guess I don't really mind after all...

#93 January 21, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Sounds: The Duhks, The Duhks

Day 83

This self-portrait is the product of an artist who has slept approximately two hours over the past 24. I sure miss the good old days when pulling an all-nighter was no problem. I also wish my lack of sleep had something to do with working into the early morning hours on my art...

(*Note: I'm not terribly pleased with the scan on this one. I think I need to give it another shot. I will say, however, that I really dig the sleepy glassy eyes!)

#83 January 11, 2011,  Charcoal on brown paper bag

Day 82

So . . .

Tonight I was really in the mood to do another acrylic painting on black paper. And I did one. And...it just wasn't me.

That's not to say that it isn't a good painting, because it is. And I have also not changed my stance that a self-portrait MUST look like the artist - because I still do not believe that it has to.

But even when my self-portraits don't actually resemble me, I generally like them because they still contain particular aspects of me. Tonight's acrylic painting had nothing to do with me - visually or metaphorically. So, I started again.

I really like to mix a variety of materials. While this one isn't a bizarre combination by any means, I really enjoy how the mediums all work together. And while the drawing also doesn't bear a striking resemblance to me, I think that it does represent me in many ways.

#82 January 10, 2011,  Sharpie and charcoal on brown paper bag
Sounds: Butch Walker & the Let's-Go-Out-Tonights,  The Rise & Fall of Butch Walker & The Let's-Go-Out-Tonites

Day 71

I've had a lot of things going on today, so it was difficult to make time for a drawing until later in the night. Once I sat down to work, a pretty serious case of artist's block set in - and I was frozen. Ultimately, I referred to a "reserve list" of ideas that I've accumulated in my sketchbook in order to get the process going.

The idea I chose was a very good one - an idea that I've been looking forward to making a reality for some time. And then, something strange happened.

This particular concept requires the portrayal of me with a somber, almost sad face. I tried three different versions of the theme, and it just didn't work. A little while later while I was taking a break from attempting to draw, Shana told me that I sure seemed overly happy tonight . . . and then it hit me. I couldn't make the drawing I wanted to because my mood was TOO good!

Often times, I look at art making in the same regard as acting. Sometimes the artist has to get into character in order to make a particular artwork. And while it generally works for me, tonight was not the case. I simply needed to make an artwork that showed me with a smile!

#71 December 30, 2010,  Pen and colored pencil on brown paper bag

Day 57

The art of Rene Magritte is probably the single biggest influence on me as a painter. Not only do I borrow heavily from his style, but I also hold dear one of his personal philosophies about art-making: like Magritte, I generally refuse to give an interpretation of my art.

I once had a person sign the guestbook at one of my exhibitions; she mentioned which painting she particularly liked, and wrote what it meant to her. Frankly, I had to laugh because what she thought the painting represented literally could not have been farther from what the image actually meant to me! But then I got to thinking that this person had brought her own experiences, ideas, and beliefs to the artwork and these things had all led her to her own interpretation. For that reason, even though she didn't get my meaning, she was still not wrong with what it meant to her.

This is why I usually won't tell what an artwork is about; I like for the viewer to find their own meaning for each individual piece, rather than simply relying on me to TELL them what it is supposed to mean. And this drawing is no different...

#57 December 16, 2010,  Charcoal on brown paper bag
Sounds: Elvis Presley, Elv1s 30 #1 Hits