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Doing Something for Me | Learning to Paint People

Learning to Paint People

There are a million things I’d like to learn how to do. Play the guitar. Speak another language. Travel the world. See Manhattanhenge in person. Learn to paint. Not furniture, not walls but really paint. I recently took a painting class and I wanted to share with you. Because, even if you don’t want to learn how to paint people, I’m giving you permission to do something for yourself and learn how to do something you’ve always wanted to. Check out how my first painting turned out…

How to paint people

circa 2007

It wouldn’t exactly be fair if I didn’t mention that this isn’t the first time I’ve tried. Painting people, I mean. I’ve just never really been very good at it.

How to paint people

circa 2009 – I’m getting better

For those of you who don’t know, I started off blogger life as a folk artist. I always had better success at painting something 3-dimensional as opposed to painting on a flat surface and making it seem 3-D.

Learning-to-Paint-People 2

Alien painting. Nailed it!

I also cannot draw.

It doesn’t stop me from trying though. Even if all I can manage is some alien-human hybrid. Then again, I have no formal art training. You’ve been getting creative inspiration from a Psych major all this time.

SIKE!

Learning-to-Paint-People 3

starting over

I recently started a painting from my first art class, Simply Painting Faces from artist Karen Milstein. She’s someone I know from my folk art days and last year when she offered a sale on her painting classes I thought, it’s now or never.

Then I took a whole year to actually do it.

Learning-to-Paint-People 4

When I finally did watch the videos a whole year later, I watched them obsessively and I decided that if all I ever did was just watch the videos, it was worth it. It’s so mesmerizing for me to watch people creating art.

Also, they make it look easy. Like those sugar cookie decorating videos on FB. I’ve secretly been attempting that as well. It’s NOT as easy as it looks. In case you were wondering.

Learning-to-Paint-People 5

If this were a Madonna song it’d be called, Like a Hooker with a Mustache

I had watched the videos more times than I could count at this point but all of the art supplies I’d ordered from Amazon hadn’t arrived yet and I was desperate to get started. So rather than tracing the included inspiration image, I tried drawing it on my own.

That’s when I almost gave up.

I can’t do this.

I won’t be good at it.

What if I’ve wasted money on all these supplies?

Learning-to-Paint-People 9

Then that fun Amazon box arrived and just unpacking all those colorful new supplies got me excited about trying to learn this all over again. This time I traced the image as instructed and I was off to a better start.

I still can’t draw. Maybe I’ll tackle that next.

Learning-to-Paint-People 6

Painting people is hard because of three things: Eyes, Nose, Mouth

Learning-to-Paint-People 7

Because if you get them wrong, they just don’t look like people.

Learning-to-Paint-People 8

I just kept rewatching the videos and reworking her face until I could live with her. I figured I had done all I could at this point and it was time to move on to painting her.

Learning-to-Paint-People 12

Accentuate her hairline, she said.

Give her little wisps of hair, she said.

Learning-to-Paint-People 10

From alien to dying. Can I turn this around?

I’ll give her this though, she never said it would be easy. But she did say if I kept trying I could do it.

Learning-to-Paint-People 11

Since this painting is done in layers it isn’t meant to look finished yet but there were things about her process so far that weren’t working. And not just her uneven eyes.

I’d walk away from her for days. Every time I’d look at her I’d try to congratulate myself on something I’d done well. But all I really kept thinking, was something is off and I don’t know what it is or how to fix it.

Learning-to-Paint-People 13

Then, just before I moved on to adding her flower headpiece and more hair, I realized it was her neck. So I made it longer and that was much better.

Learning-to-Paint-People 14

Then I wound up adding too much hair.

Learning-to-Paint-People 15

So I started her over, in part, for the 442nd time.

Learning-to-Paint-People 16

Looking back, I kind of wish I’d left her like this. A little faded. Her hair in a bun with just a few wisps escaping.

Maybe next time.

Learning-to-Paint-People 18

In the end, I made the space between her eyebrows bigger and I liked that better. She’s more colorful than I’d planned and she looks like she’s wearing makeup, which I hadn’t intended.

Also, she looks nothing like the inspiration piece.

Learning-to-Paint 3

But that’s ok because she’s mine. I did it. I finished her and I’m proud of myself and that’s not something I say very often.

I’ve recently signed myself up for two more online people painting classes. One fine arts course where I will be attempting to learn to paint Johannes Vermeer’s The Girl With the Pearl Earring from Lucy Chen Fine Arts. I am trying to not to laugh hysterically at the idea but, hey, you can’t learn if you don’t try, right?

I also signed up for another painting class from Jane Spakowsky – Painting on Black. She’s another folk artist that I’ve known since my folk art days and I have always loved her work. And she’s just plain adorable and fun herself.

How to paint people

Then + Now

This morning my soon to be pre-schooler printed off an A is for Apple coloring page from ABCMouse.com. He has spent all morning selecting just the right colors and staying between the lines. It’s his first big boy coloring effort. When he finished we had to hang it in the foyer so everyone can see it.

My point is, don’t forget how important it is to keep learning new things. How fun it is. How accomplished you feel.

It’s also important to do nice things for ourselves. These endeavors, it’s what I’ll be doing for myself this summer. I’ll be hunkered over my table, my iPad alternately on pause and play, quietly plugging away at something that’s hard but something I’ve always wanted to do. Maybe the guitar’s next! What have you been dying to learn? What will you do for yourself this summer?

 

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Comments

  1. Laurie @ Vin'yet Etc. says

    at

    Wow, she is perfectly imperfect! I adore her, seriously! She isn’t like the example, she’s better! I love how this story evolved, you were thinking, copy, copy, copy… why doesn’t she look like the example? When you started to follow your own instinct it clicked and she’s perfect! Sorry to gush, but it really is awesome! Good job, high five and a huge pat on the back! xo

    Reply
    • GERRI DAGOSTINO says

      at

      I THINK SHE ( MEANING PICTURE ) LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE FROM AN OLDER TIME & PLACE LIKE SCOTLAND EYES & BEHAPS IT WAS GOOD FOR NOW ! LLIAT !

      Reply
      • jamie says

        at

        Thank you and I love to think of her like that. A little bit of my wanderlust loving soul in her!

        Reply
  2. Danielle says

    at

    Hi Jamie, I’m trying to paint 100 faces by the end of the year…it’s slow going let me tell you! I love to see your process and that you did not give up. She looks awesome!!! I love the flowers in her hair. You should keep going and paint more! With love from Texas!!!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Wow. That’s an undertaking. Maybe I should try doing that. I’m not comfortable with drawing yet at all. That’s a definite way to get better. By the way, I’ve seen your work and it is awesome!

      Reply
  3. Donna Marchlewski says

    at

    I adore her!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. amanda zarate says

    at

    I just found your blog and I LOVE it! Just wanted to say I think your painting is gorgeous and I would totally hang it on my wall! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Aww thank you so much, on all accounts! 😉

      Reply

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