Hi all,
Let’s chat about the newest piece in “Self Exploration,” which I’m calling “Sensibility.” It’s quickly noticeable that this piece is much different from the rest in the series so far, so let’s talk about it.
The important departures are medium, style, and color. In order to create these self portraits, I use either a photo of myself, a mirror, or draw from memory. That choice has interesting influences on outcome, and this piece is from a photo. When I sat with the reference, I decided very quickly that this piece needed to be delicate to describe the reference accurately. There was a feeling of fragility and docility that I wanted to capture, so my choices aligned with that intent.
These choices made “Sensibility” much different from the others in its lack of raw energy, which is replaced with steady intentionality. I’m fascinated how the same subject matter can be viewed so differently and can in some instances call for vastly different approaches. Perhaps this speaks to the complexity of people rather than a complexity in how one views oneself, but more thought on that is required for a conclusion.
What’s more, this piece stylistically harkens back to my older works, back from when I was first learning portraiture in 2016. It has a patience, a deliberate approach that I resonated with in my classes years ago. I now like to work more quickly and loosely to retain energy and movement in line work. I do so to make pieces feel more alive than static.
So why now am I making a piece that returns to this way of working? What made a reference call this out of me when none have in so long? I believe this will be answered through more pieces as comparisons, and with more time considering the intentions behind drawing.
Until next time,
Rebecca Lugo
Rebecca Lugo 