CHIAROSCURO AND THAT LEFT EAR

SELF-PORTRAIT

I’ve been in two minds whether to burden my blog watchers with yet another self-portrait. The fact is I hadn’t picked up a brush for months and months and simply thought it would be good practice to use a handy mirror and force myself to get started on something. A friend made a comment about the art of creating a strong sense of three dimensionality and was critical about the ear on the left as one looks at the painting, Ears are not easy. Herewith the penultimate state.

Ear lugs are très difficile
To paint them requires some zeal
Chiaroscuro you say
But the sun’s strongest ray
Hits my lobe and is part of the deal.

The magic is past comprehension
Out of two comes an extra dimension
And chiaroscucro
Is our wise Prospero;
Disbelief can’t resist its suspension.

2 thoughts on “CHIAROSCURO AND THAT LEFT EAR”
  • Kate

    I am doing a bust of Shakespeare, making the hair come over the ears so I don’t have to sculpt them. I’ve referenced a number of other busts: one looks like Errol Flynn and another looks like Oliver Hardy. Since no one really knows, mine can be anything. He has a mirror monocle over one eye and I will stamp “the eye sees not itself but by reflection ” around the collar. I find it very challenging to work in 3 dimensions. So I took a pass on doing ears. Maybe next time.

    Reply
  • Michelle

    Beginning the sketch with an S shape for the ear has proved to be the best answer for me

    Reply

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