A Rogue Emdash Is On The Loose

Advice about painting portraits from my younger brother. I think

I want to tell a story to the artists and would-be artists out there.

When I was 19, I made a large oil painting of the nerd I would eventually marry. I poured all my attention and care into this painting. It's the only art I have from back then that still holds up as a work I'm proud of today.

I entered it into a judged show at the local art center. It got an honorable mention. I went to see the show with my beloved model. One of the judges came up to talk to me, and highlighted that all the judges really liked the painting. It would have placed, except, you see, the feet were incorrect. They were too wide and short, and if I just studied a bit more anatomy-

I called over my future wife, and asked her to take off her shoe. Being already very used to humoring me, she did. The judge looked at her very short, very wide little foot. Exactly as I'd lovingly rendered it. I would never edit her appearance in any way.

The judge looked me in the eye, and to his credit, he really looked like he meant it when he said "Oh I'm so sorry."

Anyways the moral of the story is that all of those anatomy books that teach you proportions are either showing you averages, or a very specific idea of an idealized body. Actual bodies are much more varied than that.

So don't forget to draw from observation, and remember that humans aren't mass produced mannequins. Delight in our variation. Because it's supposed to be there.

some of my favorite woven tapestries, by Cecilia Blomberg:

Point Defiance Steps

Mates

Rising Tides

Vashon Steps

The Sea and all the Lighthouses are girlfriends

*points at bag of resentment* I can carry that for you if you like, just while you have a rest.

I've got weird resentment from when I thought I was a man and I hope it leaves me. It makes me feel like I'm lying to myself when I see something that touches that nerve. It is what it is I guess.

weird to think we're all on here interacting with australians. any given user on ur dash could be an australian, if you think about it

Cornel Brudaşcu (b. 1937)

My new fox skull made my painting look finished. My house is so lush and bright this time of year. And things feel more finished than they did in December.

Día de los muertos, Isaac Cordal