Self portrait progress

Ken Davis · 11-30-2011, 07:58 PM

At the suggestion of Leonid Gervits during one of his workshops, I have been working on self portraits from life. For the past twenty some years I have used photographic reference for doing illustrations. I showed these to Leonid and he suggested that I am wasting my time and that the only way I can expect to acquire proportional vision is to work from plaster casts of heads.

Please look at these three images done from life, no photo reference whatsoever. To me, numbers one and two are in the same ballpark. I am encouraged in the marked progress I see in number three.

Am I delusional? It is so difficult to keep fresh eyes and remain objective because not only is this my work, it is of me.

Should I purchase some casts and learn the site-sized method? Or should I keep doing what I am doing?

Julie Deane · 12-30-2011, 10:27 PM

Hi Ken,

I like no. 3 best too - it looks like progress to me!

Self-portraits seem tough, because it is hard to be objective.

No advice to give - just keep up the good work.

Ken Davis · 12-31-2011, 04:50 PM

Thank you for the encouragement, Julie.

I went to your website. I really like your work.

Ngaire Winwood · 03-19-2012, 12:34 PM

I agree with Julie, the proportion of the head is much better in No.3.

Celeste McCall · 04-25-2012, 07:42 PM

I like all 3 of them personally.
There is something about the first one that intrigues me more than the others. But I like all 3 of them.

I think that Guan Weixing is one of my most favorite artists who has dvds available to watch him paint. He paints form with the least amount of strokes than anyone I have ever watched.

He always paints from life also. Here is his website:
http://www.guanweixing.com/ybook/procedoman.htm

I think that you are doing a very good thing here. Keep posting them. Would love to see about 10 of these.