Head shot

I painted my first real live portrait of someone today. My lovely model was Austin Katz. He had nothing to do, so I plucked him off his butt and made him my model.

This time last year, I couldn't have imagined that I'd be painting portraits. They have always terrified me with the amount of skill required to paint a human face. I have really noticed the amount of progress I've made within the past year, and it makes me excited. It can only go uphill from here!

I was enjoying whatever little painting that I did today and so naturally, I went to go show Luke. He said that the painting needed an opinion, so he stepped in and threw a few quick, decisive strokes. At first, it stung a tad bit because I had like what I produced (because it was the first time I felt somewhat adequate painting a portrait), but then I felt really thankful that Luke intervened. It reminded me that it's important to be okay with ruining a painting. It's okay to dive head first and take risks, to cast away my fears for the sake of improving and learning.

After that reminder, I just did whatever I felt like, knowing that it didn't REALLY matter. All I was going to do in the end was wash the paint off the canvas and start again. Now, I'm not saying that this will become a reason not to put effort ito my work- it simply becomes a reason not to get too attached to it and let the painting become whatever it wants to become, for better or worse.