Some day I’ll sketch a flattering self-portrait. Some day I’ll follow the “rules” of portraiture and get features the right sizes in the right places. But not today. Today I just look and draw and see what happens.
I always save the last few pages of my journals to do a self-portrait and look back over the pages and write an index of what they contained. I look in mirrors as little as possible, so it’s weird to spend quality time with my reflection and seeing what’s wrinkled since last time I looked.
When I woke up I had a curl standing straight up on top of my head which fell onto my face as the day progressed. That reminded me of this poem my grandmother used to recite to tell this curly-haired, often naughty granddaughter:
There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead;
When she was good, she was very, very good,
And when she was bad she was horrid.
The best part of drawing this one was using the Black Pentel Color Brush Pen (not waterproof) for my curls and sketching the puffy down vest. I have tidier eyebrows than I drew but it’s ink so there you go.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
11 replies on “End of Journal Self-Portraits”
You’re much prettier than these, but that first one has a very appealing intensity and beauty about it. There’s more than just a physical likeness, to a self-portrait. And that one has it. š
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Thanks Kathryn, I do like the first one the best. Meanwhile, I’ve started a nice long letter to you that I will finish and send tomorrow. Jana
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My grandma said the very same thing to me when I was a girl about the girl with the curl. I also got called Shirley Temple more times than I care to count.
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That’s so funny (and fun) to hear. But now your hair is so straight! Did it change or do you have to work hard to make it straight? Jana
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As Kathryn says… And I can see that those Pentel Color Brush curls would have been fun to do. I love Pentel Color Brush. I’d use it all the time if it were more lightfast, though I use it in sketchbooks and hope it will be protected there.
annie
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I love looking at self-portraits! Though we have never met, I’m willing to bet that if we did, I’d recognize you immediately. While these sketches may not be photographically accurate, I bet they hold a healthy dollop of Jana-ness.
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Front-on portraits are the hardest, in my opinion! It is so difficult to get the placement correct, especially if using ink! And curly hair is especially hard! I like that you tackled both, no fear!
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I love the idea of doing a self-portrait at the end of each journal, Jana. Very nice ongoing kind of project. You also did beautiful stuff with color in that top sketch. And you know what I always say about drawing people (well, you don’t, but now you will): “It might not look like the person, but it looks like (italics) a (unitalics) person.
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How brave to do all these self portraits. You look very intense in the 1st picture (I have no idea what you look like, but from your posts you sound smileyer), but it’s a good drawing.
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My Mom used to recite that poem to me when I wasn’t being obedient, and I’m afraid I did the same thing to Claire – it’s just too tempting when yo have a little girl with curly hair.
I just want to point out that you are much prettier than your self portraits would suggest! I do the same thing when I try a self portrait – we don’t see ourselves clearly. That said, I love the way you used color on the top one.
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What a neat idea — saving pages to draw the author of the other drawings!
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