I’m going through this phase where nothing I do seems to go the way I envisioned. My experiment with painting a face with acrylics was very disappointing. Other than the pretty fabric I chose for the dress, nothing else about this piece makes me happy. Worst of all, she looks completely different from the sketch, where she looked very sassy. Here she looks like she just lost her way home…So off she goes to the UFO pile…
Then again, the piece I’m working on with oils is not going that much better. She looks like she has no idea how to apply make up to her eyes…
And the girl I got smeared with gold leaf bits, well, let’s just say that another layer and another layer and another layer of oils didn’t do a thing. So, I now have a girl with (bad) freckles…
I’m just sending them all to the UFO pile and doing something I’m usually not very good at, which is to actually follow one of the many workshops I’m taking. Lesson 3 of Pam Carriker’s Pursuing Portraits is all about making it your own, so I’m setting aside canvases and paints and simply sketching myself, back to the basics, sketchbooks are great for taking the pressure off, after all, it’s just a sketch. After the first self-portrait sketch, I realized that jeez! I’ve got a really big chubby nose and a very round chin. Not to mention small eyes and huge lips. Wow! Even though I’ve seen this face a million times over the eyes, I guess it took a very personal one on one time to realize what my face really looks like. I’m happy with the outcome, I’m pretty convinced that I’ve achieved a likeness and finally, I can feel some satisfaction with my art instead of frustration. Guess I’ll be doing nothing but sketching for the time being…
Hugs and have a great Thursday everyone.
Jade
Chrysalis Goddess 
You seemed to have taken some of my words right out of my mouth. I understand where you are, I happen to be in the same place. I chalk it up to the "ebb" – knowing that my "flow" will return. It's the natural order of things. In the meantime, I cleaned my studio. I happen to like all 3 art pieces you have shown. You'll see them in a differently later on.
Although I don't do people right now, I am having the same struggle – getting what is in my head down on the paper! I think you are an amazing artist and your self-portrait is beyond amazing.