day 5 of the class: journaling. i think this is basically "putting it all together".
for this assignment, we journaled about what we've learned so far, and then drew, colored, and painted over it. this was the first portrait i've done without using a person or photo for reference. just made it up {intuitive, they call it}. i thought it was done when i took this first photo, but then it seemed garishly bright when i looked at it on the computer screen. so i added some white, and it turned into the piece below. i think this one looks more like me (or, at least, like a person in general), but i miss the colors of the first draft, especially in the neck area... all part of the process...!

today i drew me...

 it was during joey's nap, and my only two mirrors in the house are in wake-him-up-if-you-walk-by-on-the-squeaky-hardwood-floor territory. so i grabbed a vintage handheld mirror that was decorating my desk, and drew what i could see! :) not so sure about the yellow oil pastels... i've never really worked with them before, and am not really sure how to move them successfully... so three self-portraits in 24 hours, and my nose still looks deformed, and it doesn't quite look like me (although, this is the most attractive one of the three, so you can think i look like this if you want ;) but i am so inspired to keep drawing and practicing! the self-portrait was only ONE of the assignments for the first day, so i'll definitely be continuing to work in drawing in the days & weeks to come! :)
however, mondays are for drawing. tuesdays are writing! so i'm about to start the lesson for today (i have been looking forward to this all day! :) and do a little creative writing, sipping vanilla rooibos tea at starbucks :)