Friday, September 26, 2014

#s 22, 23, 24, 25 of 29 And Lessons Learned from 29 Faces



I'm finding it challenging to keep up with this project on a daily basis with everything else I am working on. At this point it is determination that is driving me and little else. BUT this is GOOD because there is a lesson in it! It applies to life as an artist or just life in general, doesn't it? You start out excited about a new project and are sure you can do it. You are committed to it. Truly. And then stuff creeps in and life happens. Parts of it don't turn out the way you wanted them to. You get frustrated. A new project comes along that you would rather be working on. And all the details of the project (in this case taking pix, uploading, posting and blogging) begin to slip from your control and you are tempted to just toss in the towel.

I can see the light at the end of this tunnel though. And I have learned SO MUCH. There are techniques I've picked up that I am excited to keep improving in. I'm learning (still) to be okay with a less than a quality image just for the practice of daily face drawing. I'm learning that I do have a distinct style in my portraits. And that I can evolve in further. I've learned (again!) quality materials have their place. I've learned that out of a larger body of work (my 100 Faces project) there are certain pieces I like more than others and that applies to all works. Not every one is going to be worthy of more than a second glance. But they are all in me and deserve to come out. Some deserve more time than others. Some deserve a second go. Others not so much. I've learned practice, practice, practice makes improvement versus perfect.

And that is good. Very good.

What have you learned from this project?









4 comments:

  1. Everything you say is true about the challenge. I use it just to have fun and have the discipline of the daily requirement of coming up with a new face and building a portfolio from the "keepers." My favorite part of the challenge is looking at what all the other artists are doing each day. It's like opening Christmas presents! I've been doing them since the first event and it never gets boring!

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  2. nice work & ^5 for hanging in there

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  3. Thank you for your comments! Caryn...I really like the idea of building a portfolio from the keepers. Now that I have reached my goal of 100 faces its time to begin culling the ones I don't love and rebuilding to 100 once more! *S*

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