Three very quick portraits (Blog marathon post 26)

Pastels is a medium that I find extremely difficult. The above picture was done very quickly. I did not even take 20 minutes to complete it. The reference photo was a model from an ad for Mascara and so she had exaggerated eyes which I managed to capture. She has a kind of startled expression. Since I find the medium very difficult, I am kind of content with this attempt. (Not too bad for an almost first time in pastel)






This picture took me more than two hours to complete. This was again a completely new medium called water colour pencils. (click on link to know more) One uses it like an ordinary colour pencil but the effects ar amazing when one runs a wet brush over it. I loved the hardened expression of this wise old red Indian who seems to have really seen the tough side of life.

This is what I like about portraiture. I  make portraits of subjects that I find arresting. Sometimes it is a a strong urge that I feel which makes me want to paint something.

For instance, when I saw this profile picture of  Janani who blogs at pretty woman, I simply had to paint it. I immediately asked her to send it to me which she did. Again it was a relatively quick picture.(sometimes a picture takes more than 4 hours) This picture was done using Acrylic on paper.

I have no idea why I feel a compelling urge to paint something and am repelled and I cringe before painting another thing. In my portraiture course, we have different models who model for us, live. I know instinctively  that if I like the model, I would get a great portrait. Sometimes I dislike them (for really no reason as we don't even speak to the models when we begin making a portrait of them) and then I can be certain that my picture will not turn out well. Basic thing is I should want to paint someone --it has to come from within.

Perhaps this is what they call an Artist's muse. I do not know.
All I know is that when I paint, my heart sings in joy. :-)
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Addendum: I am copy pasting Suma's (who blogs at aalochaney) comment here in this post as I liked it so much. This is what she said:

"love it!!!!! all three of them for different reasons :)

unrelated, but just got reminded of this:

i have an artist friend here and she was cribbing that she gets upset because people think that they can get freebies from her, or shortchange her, they dont realise how much (emotionally sometimes) has gone into each and every artwork."

I want to add that this is exactly how I feel too. There is a LOT which has gone into my pictures emotionally. No amount of money can  really compensate that.  For me, my paintings are like bits of my soul, really. That is how strongly I feel about my pictures (no matter what others think of them). I too, like Suma's friend, feel very upset and irritated when people ask me for freebies and ask me to 'make a painting for me na' so casually. For an artist or an artistic soul, a painting is a gift from the heart. If you  really and badly want a picture then please honour that artist by acknowledging that and  paying the price they demand.