Revisiting
Today I revisited techniques I used when I first started creating Body Art images, before I even realised it had become Self Portraiture. Although adapted and improved (hopefully) by what I’ve learnt in the past 2 years, it was refreshing to try this style again.
‘Guard’
I imagine this will not be a particularly popular image. It isn’t aesthetically pleasing, I don’t look beautiful. Maybe it was about time to portray my mind properly. I’m sure this is obvious but just in case it isn’t, this is real.
I think I look a bit like a soldier with that headpiece. Certainly challenging to try fight the part of my brain that tells me to make it look pretty – it looked quite cute as an eye mask. But I pushed on determined to cover all, even my ears! I have lots of blisters that are slowly healing from creating all these pencil sharpenings! It took many, many hours and there are sharpenings in nearly every room of the house now. Sorry mum :]
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I’ve been putting together a Facebook page for my work. It shall be live here: annajordanart
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In more interesting news, next month, as part of the Olympic Torch celebrations in Stoke Park, a few of my images are going to be shown as part of a collective. Rather exciting :]
You’re really ridiculously talented & clever. Pencil shavings – amazing! But, did you feel any better at the end of the exercise, blisters notwithstanding? XO
Well once I had endured the ridiculous pain of removing it all (it seems I didn’t quite think this one through!) I felt… reluctant to look at the image. Perhaps because I am very tired and not sleeping well. I only took this image a few hours ago. I’m feeling very positive now that I am seeing the feedback. dA has gone a little potty :)
I’m proud that I stuck with what I was doing, and that I managed to glue that many pencil shavings down.It isn’t so easy to cover your own face with things like this, and to do it neatly.
Sometimes the ‘hit’ of relief isn’t always instant. Today it certainly hasn’t been. But this is something I expect, just as you would with any other form of therapy :)
Well, serious kudos on putting it together in your mind and then doing it. And then taking it apart! Wow!
I am not an artist, I just collect and collect and collect because it saves my life. So I have all the respect in the world for what you do, and you platform is close to my heart, battling off mentals & all.
Keep ‘em coming – they’re all stunning.
I have great respect and admiration for your work!
I don’t comment very often but I always see your posts, so I’ll follow your FB page for sure! :)
keep the amazing work!
Thanks for leaving a comment today – I often wonder what those people think that don’t leave any other trace :).
And thank you for the kind words, it still makes me feel giddy that people like my work! x
WOW!!!! How long did creating this piece take?
From sharpening the pencils to the minor edits, about 10 hours.
Intense…..good commitment!!!!
So glad you have started a Facebook page! I have already liked it…I understand your struggle to try to make yourself appear beautiful in your images…I struggle with that myself in my self portrait series…keep up the good work!
Thanks for the encouragement :] xx
I absolutely love this!
Oh good! Glad you like it!
This is amazing…not only the incredible work, time and creativity behind it but also the image itself. It all paid off! Excellent work… I also like the way its composed and the tilt of the head
Thanks! I hoped it’d be worthwhile and I feel it has been :)
Wow, I must say I love it. And you do look beautiful, in this outlandish kind of way. I admire your dedication in doing that, I’d never have the patience for it! Although your photos inspired me to start thinking of doing more self-portraits with just my face in it. Will see if that goes anywhere… Anyways what glue do you use to stick things to your face?
I’m trying to make myself involve more of my body actually! Its just hard to include the body and make it link in with the make up. Very pleased you feel inspired to try other things :) I use either skin safe double sided tape or eyelash glue… you have to be careful what you use because it needs to be skin safe! Otherwise you might get red rashes, or worse… like blisters, scaring, chemical burns, etc!
I love the different colours on the pencil sharpenings, the way they are all paint-side vertically upwards, the delicacy of them, and then the Shock of the sight of your eyes- and just your lower, not upper, lip. Mmmm. And then- the colours on your neck. Had you just had the idea of the pencil sharpenings, that would have been beautiful, but the other idea adds a great deal to the final image. And- ten hours to create- worth it, I think, it is clear from the image that it would take effort, and that adds to its impact. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for your kind words! Really glad you notice the detail; I did a fair bit of planning and I feel it paid off this time :).
Wow. We miss you at Broken Light! You are so talented! We’d welcome another submission from you with any images you wish to share. Feel free to e-mail me any questions and/or submissions. Hope you are feeling well. -D.
Thank you, If I create anything new that I feel is ready then I will let you know! x