honesty

Weekly artist series final: Week 10/10 Part 4/4 LUCIAN FREUD: Your self.

| Kat Thorsen

Week 10 Part 4 Lucian Freud

The subject matter is autobiographical, it’s all to do with hope and memory and sensuality and involvement really… Lucian Freud

Write in your journal whatever comes to mind as you focus on yourself:

Draw a self-portrait.  What happens?

 


Next, I will be transfering this self-portrait to canvas with mod-podge and will be mailing it to Art House Co-op Self-Portrait Project:

As you may have noticed, I study artists by ingesting them and regurgitating into my journals whatever comes to mind.

I  hoped you enjoyed this series.  What’s next?  I’ll be focusing on my graphic novel, portraits, an art event and a conference.  Stay tuned!

See also:

35 PART daily journal exercise

Weekly artist series: Week 10 of 10 Part 3 LUCIAN FREUD: your self-portrait sketch.

| Kat Thorsen

Week 10 Part 3 Lucian Freud

A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by the artist. Although self-portraits have been made by artists since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid 15th century that artists can be frequently identified depicting themselves as either the main subject, or as important characters in their work. With better and cheaper mirrors, and the advent of the panel portrait, many painters, sculptors and printmakers tried some form of self-portraiture. [source]

Caterina van Hemessen's 1548 self-portrait

Lucian Freud’s portrait penetrate the soul of the sitter and the viewer.  His self-portraits are awesome and awe-inspiring.

It’s challenging to look at yourself with that same penetration.  UGH.  But, necessary.

Today, we draw ourselves in preparation for Art House Co-op Self-Portrait Project:

Find a photo of yourself.  Or use a mirror.

Photo of me by my student, Melanie. Hands are covered in spray paint- not blood!

Oi.

Ok.  Start sketching.

Well, that was painful!

Next time:

CANVAS!

See also:

Weekly artist series: Week 10 of 10 Part 2 LUCIAN FREUD: Self-portrait prep. Exaggerate.

| Kat Thorsen

Week 10 Part 2 Lucian Freud

Freud's Self-Portrait with Black Eye
Freud's Girl in a Dark Jacket

As we prep for our Freudian self-portrait, let’s practice exaggeration of features.

Choose a face that inspires you.

Draw it without exaggerating the features:

Now exaggerate the features slightly to better illustrate the subject’s character:

Next time, we draw ourselves in preparation for Art House Co-op Self-Portrait Project:

See also:

Weekly artist series: Week 10 of 10 Part 1 LUCIAN FREUD: Let’s be honest.

| Kat Thorsen

Week 10 Part 1 Lucian Freud

Lucian Michael Freud (8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011) was a German-born British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impastoed portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time.  His works are noted for their psychological penetration, and for their often discomfiting examination of the relationship between artist and model. [source]

When did you start getting honest with yourself?

I found my old 1981-84 journal and it illustrates well the moment I really needed to release pain through drawing.

It starts with a composed mask…

… but as my life entered a very difficult time, I used the sketchbook as a place to release despair and a place to be honest with myself.

In our exploration of Lucian Freud, we will look at revisiting the self-portrait and digging a bit deeper.

See also: