The progress of a painting.

Last week I felt like painting.  I usually paint self portraits as I know the model will always be available...  This time was no different, although I did rack my brains trying to come up with some inspiration for the painting that would not involve my face as it gets very boring.

Unfortunately I am not good at abstract, landscapes bore me and no one else was around for an impromptu photo shoot.  So I did what I usually do when I'm bored and set up a mirror to practise from.

So follows a few photographs I took as the painting progressed.  At first the image was just going to be outlined then 'coloured in' with the usual flesh tones, but it ended up being the sepia painting you see below.  A bit different for me but I like it and didn't want to ruin it by trying to hard.

The first step after roughly colouring the canvas was to study the reflection in the mirror - not easy.

After I sketched out with my brush in a light colour I added some darker tones on top using a wet on wet technique.

This is when I realised I liked the painting as it was just using the tonal browns. 

A few darker sploges of paint and some definition later - the finished piece.  Not much like my usual stuff but I like it.

The set up of how I painted from the mirror (in my hideous hoodie that I wear for painting...)

Pass the clippers....

I decided last Friday night to shave off my hair.  Again.

After the incident with the blond hair dye that left me with a sort of 'Peach Melba' colour then dying it a dark brown for something more work appropriate, I'd just had enough.  So I found the clippers, picked a setting and shaved away.

It's not the first time I have shorn off my locks and I'm sure it won't be the last either as I find the whole experience of not having much on top quite liberating.  There's no need to style it, blow dry it, worry about the wind blowing it out of shape or it sticking to your lip gloss as soon as you've applied it...

The first time was summer 2011 and I was attempting to go from dark to blond when the dye job went terrible wrong and left me with what can only be described as 'tie-dye' hair.  So I asked my boyfriend at the time to bring round his clippers and get rid of the mess that I'd created.  It was soooooo short and blond from the dye that some friends took to calling me Eminem.  Thanks guys.

This time round, I didn't have as much to get rid of.  It was already shaved around the back and sides in a kind of Mohawk style, so I just took the top bit off!  Now I can see my natural colour too which is intriguing as I'm not entirely sure if I'll like it as my hair grows out!

Here's me and my new shaven head in a NATURAL (eeeeeek) colour!

So here are some photo's of some gorgeous women who have gone for the chop - or clip if you'd prefer.

Model Agyness Deyn

Amber Rose

Angelina Jolie in the 90's for a film role

Demi Moore for her part as GI Jane

Model Eve Savail

Actress Jaime Winstone

Natalie Portman for her role in V For Vandetta

Singer Sinead O'Connor

Long live Ange!

Not talking about myself with that title.

No, I mean Angela Lansbury.  You know - that little old lady who sang under water on an old bed and solved murder upon murder accross America...?  

YES that one...

Well I have always thought of Ange Lans as being 'old'.  Maybe because as a young child I percieved anyone who dressed like my Nan to actually BE old!  The neck scarves and mid-length skirts along with the semi perm suggested to my young mind that she was and would always be a kind faced old lady who looked and sounded a bit like my Nanny Ruth.  

Voicing Mrs Potts in 'Beauty and The Beast' and as writer/investigator Jessica Fletcher in 'Murder She Wrote'.

 But after a rather excited chat about the Disney film 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' a few weeks back with my boyfriend, we decided to Google search her.  Along with the expected film stills of the lady in the film bewitching a pair od shoes or conversing with a cartoon fish, we came accross these beauties showing that good old Ange wasn't always old!!

A very young Angela Lansbury shows her film star credentials in a photoshoot.

Well I think she's bloody brilliant!  She is one of our greatest stars and with such a long running career she deserves lots and lots of admiration.  So much have I researched the old photographs and movies, that I have become a bit obcessed with her!!

Dungarees... cool or for those who drool?

The 90's - shows like this and Saved By The Bell
were full of fashion like this.

So... this should say 'ANGE EXPLAINS IT ALL'

Well, not really explains exactly, but has a go at arguing the case of the humble dungaree or overall as my American cousins would call them.

This, like many of my blog posts has been influenced by a Facebook discussion where a male friend of mine stated how much he hates this classic item of clothing. Are these some of the reasons why......?

Dexy's Midnight Runners - the 80's band that brought you the 'classic' wedding tune 'Come On Ilene'
(you know, the one your drunk uncles dance to)

Being a kid - as kid's we were made to wear things we look back on now as being cringe-worthy.
Dungarees were probably something we all had to wear at some stage in our early development
hence why we know think of as being clothing only children wear; baggy
 bums with nappies underneath and baby food down the front. Not
a great fashion memory for most.

This is me.  I loved my dungarees as a child. These were one of the earlier pairs - as you can see by the knots in the straps, they were too big for me and were probably hand-downs from my older cousins.

I wore my dungarees everywhere for as long as they fit me!

My favorite pair were dark denim with red patches and has small plastic heart shaped buttons on the clasps. I literally wore them till I was too big and old to get into them any more. I was devastated.

I had a few more pairs over the years but had my moments of feeling the same way many do about the all in one denim suit. I had a pair in college that I bought then quickly changed my mind on as they gave me a camel toe..... yuk.

Now though, I have a pair that fit me well, don't make me look like a grown baby, 80's music reject, pregnant lady or like a hooved animal has invaded my nether-regions. Fashion comes and goes and I happen to like the way the humble dungaree has managed to stick around - liked or not. I understand they are not a huge turn on for guys... but who cares about what they think eh?

I found some images of girls who - in my opinion - are rocking the denim short dungaree. Have some fun!!

Loving the Doctor Martens of course!!!

Drawings - bird women and boobs.

A little drawing I did whilst relaxing on the sofa.  Bored while the boyfriend was in bed with a stonking migraine more like!!

My most recent sketches and drawings have taken on a 'strong' or 'Amazonian woman' form which I think is something to do with my transition from poor little lost thing - unemployed and vulnerable to feeling more independant and head strong.

These pencil sketches take about 2 hours, longer if there's a lot of detail, and are all from the depths of my imagination.  So no copying, referencing or anything else - just pure crazy on a page :D