Selfies have never been a thing I’ve done, except with paint….

I’ve never been someone who has been comfortable with my own image. Well, not until recently. I took to painting self-portraits, primarily as there is no one else around to paint when you live alone. It makes you really look at yourself and study parts of what makes your face different. The massive scar down on my left cheek, due to a stabbing incident, is a fairly unusual thing to have.

I have always loved drawing faces, and when I am out and about and drawing them, I tend to simplify, and just try to capture what is the essence of someone. Saying that, I don’t spend a great deal more time on “portraits”. This one took me longer to get the masking tape of the roll for the border, than to do the actual painting.

Strangely they bring me peace. These days, I quite like the way I look. Covering most of my face with a fairly substantial beard may aid in that.

Ink with watercolour