 |
| This picture is so awesome! It's not mine, though. |
It has probably been more than six years since the last time I painted a portrait. And just a little less since I used oils on a demanding project for the last time. I did not mean for it to be this way, it just happened.
I have talked about using acrylics so much on this blog that some people might think I have something against oils. But nothing can be farther away from the truth. I was challenged by acrylics in college and when I moved across the globe I ended up living in tiny apartments (I still do!) with poor cross ventilation. So, taking a break from oils was somewhat necessary. I still bought all my oil supplies when I moved here, I just seldom used them.
At the beginning of the year I felt this "craving", a borderline physical need to paint with oils that I cannot really explain. I guess it's like when you remember a certain dish that you really enjoy but for some reason you have not had in a while. You know what I'm talking about, we all have one dish like this! It comes to your mind and it is so hard to stop thinking about. And if you happen to eat something that is even remotely related to it, you just feel worse because not only did it remind you of it, but it totally missed the mark and now you feel dissatisfied. Yes, I just compared oil painting with the best thing you ever ate. What did you expect? I'm an art geek!
So, I decided to paint something serious but fun, maybe just to see how my technique has evolved (if at all) after painting with acrylics for so long and having adjusted to their qualities. Maybe after six years, even though I have not painted as much, I would see some changes in the way I paint.
And guess what? I did. I am happy to report that now I'm actually slower! Ha! I did not see that coming... And that is why you cannot see the painting yet, it is not finished.
It will be done soon, though. And I have been documenting the process along the way, so it will be fun!