I was drawing this statue by Rodin – the contours were coming along, i did a little detailing with a hard pencil.. And then I realized how tired i was.. So i said to myself, OK – I’ll turn this into one of those quick really sketchy things.. So i got out my charcoal pencil, and completely destroyed anything that might have looked like a human face with way too fat lines.. So then i decided that i might aswell go all the way and mix in what else i had in the arsenal, adding some pastels, pen and other things.. When I lazily decided that the thing was finished, i scanned it – the thing above, and i sprayed on my habitual dose of cheap hairspay (it costs 25% of that artist-fixative they sell in art-shops, and it has this sickening sweet permfume that i have come to associate with pencil-drawings) – The very second that the spray first hit the paper, i realized what i had done! – The pen is dissolvable with hairspay – apparently.. It gave this strange effect that you see on back.. And the pen bled through to the other side, destroying my self portrait of this morning – but also revealing a mirrored version of the pen-drawing.. Which ironicly might be the nicest thing that i’ve done today..
I don’t know what to conclude from all this, other that I need to do another self-portrait tomorrow…
Oops! It’s all a learning curve. I have always used cheap hairspray to fix charcoal too and even the professional artists I know do likewise. I rather like the effect of the Rodin study being interlocked with your self-portrait.
Happy accident.
Dont worry, forget all about the masters and be yourself.
Wow, that’s really cool!
I love the unexpected result .
I really like what you came up with.
Thanks!
Loosening up and serendipity: the artist’s best friends!
I love this accidental effect! And your pen work is awesome. (Use hairspray myself. 🙂 )
thanks!