What is a self-portrait? Is it the transfer of exact features and a picture of reality or is it important to display something that a photograph cannot convey, those features of a person that are more than simple surfaces or volumes?
I created self-portrait several times, this is the examples from the past.
One was the triptych as it is in the Icons. It was interesting to analyse why the Icons lose the colour in a particular way and what is I can bring it back in a bit different way? Last time I used self-made photo and then I transferred it on the board.
Another portrait I made with the reference to the Russian avant-garde painters Goncharova, Malevich, Larionov but with a mix on the previous idea of the losing colour.
Today I started with a traditional pencil and with the result, I’m not so happy… of course, I can train more and then it will look like Self-portrait of Picasso (7. Selbstporträt (1899-1900) but is it contemporary? Did I use any new idea or method – no.
Next draft I really wanted to do something with the oil. I love the oil colour. It’s smell, texture, colour saturation. I paint fast and expressive. And this one I believe reflects more emotions than charcoal portrait. Why? - I think material (oil) and the way of paint lye on the surface reinforce the materiality and emotional state of the model.
And then I experimented.
The story with the Russian Icon seems to me the closest and carrying great potential for development. I displayed the portrait on a blank canvas after processing on the iPad. The portrait turned out to be lively and emotional because the pose itself and the look are intriguing and the background texture adds vibrations and space. I wanted to add the issue of time flow to this work. The "flowing photo" technology helped me in this.
Inspired by the icon Christ Pantocrator; Byzantium. Constantinople (VI century) and the feature “look to nowhere” in the icon, I added vibrations to my eyes, which on one side made them look like cat's eyes, on the other, a movement appeared. Next time I need to turn eyes into the viewer for a more communicative approach.
And, yes… I had a big interest to try Matthew Stone’s approach… I did it. Just small sketch about this.
Bibliography and references
1. 7. Picasso, Pablo (1899-1900) Selbstporträt [Drawing] In: Doschka, R. Pablo Picasso. Balingen: Prestel
2. Christ Pantocrator; Byzantium. Constantinople; location: Egypt. Sinai, monastery of sv. Catherine; 45.5 x 84 cm; material: wood, gold (leaf), natural pigments; Technique: gilding, encaustic (VI century) [Icon] At: http://www.ruicon.ru/arts-new/icons/1x1-dtl/monastir_sv_ekaterini/hristos_pantokrator5/?page_20=10&p_f_11_temp_id=1&p_f_11_88=~%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%81%20~%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80&p_f_11_77[]=&p_f_11_28[]=&p_f_11_71[]=&p_f_11_16=&p_f_11_16_link=&p_f_11_6=&p_f_11_29=&p_f_11_29_link=&p_f_11_8=&p_f_11_4[]=&p_f_11_78[]=&p_f_11_12[]=&p_f_11_91_cb=1&p_f_11_13_cb=1&p_f_11_25_cb=1&p_f_11_id=&ref-cat= (Accessed on 09.07.19)
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