Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Making Faces

an excerpt from  "Reaching" by LAPaylor

Since I fell in love with faces, I began to notice them everywhere, drew them often, asked friends who are art teachers to teach me how they do them, watched videos on drawing them, copy model's faces and gestures from magazines for practice, sketch someone I see while in a restaurant...

I took to making dolls with women's faces so that I could practice on 3D surfaces and I learned so much about the human face that way. 
Hydrangea Girl  (Barbara Willis pattern)

I am expressing myself in line, shadow, gesture drawing. It's my art and it transfers to larger pieces.
I still feel insecure about my drawing ability but as I age, I care less about that, and more about just expressing myself and having a good time.


 It provides a path to creativity and can't we all acknowledge the benefit of that? Everything we learn, everything we make, all that we see goes into the artist's experience and it there to use.

Art is not just for sale.

I was talking with a friend the other day about all the crafts we've tried. I remembered in high school painting faces on ceramic statues. That might have been my first face painting at age 16. And on something that was 3-d. It all goes into the mix, everything we try, everything we learn. 

The next post, --- more faces in the studio! 

15 comments:

Ruth said...

Very cool. you have such lovely expressions captured in both shown here.

Kathy E. said...

I really like your work and admire your perseverance to learn more and improve. Faces are so difficult! Plus, every single one is different!...I've always thought of that as mind-blowing. 2 eyes, a nose and a mouth...no two are alike.

magistra said...

I love the face you've done in thread and your doll is awesome and fun. How delicious it is to pick up a material, a substance, and create and transform. You're lucky you've been exposed to making art for so long. I must try a doll someday... And so many other things!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Fantastic expression!!! Seriously, the face in thread is amazing LeeAnna!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow. Both of those images are so beautiful. Your faces have a lovely serene expression to them, like the ladies are just content in their universe. I really love it.

I have been wanting to try art dolls for a while now, yours looks so beautiful!

France Nadeau ❅ inspiration imagination creation said...

I love your lady from Reaching. Beautiful colors and expression.
Pinned and shared on google+

Deb said...

Both of your Art pieces are lovely, the face done in thread looks so youthful and the doll is just beautiful. I can't wait to see what you create next. I recently bought a new doll pattern and can't wait to see what I come up with. Thanks for sharing

Maria said...

You create great faces:-)

Kaja said...

I've never tried a face...food for thought.

Stephie said...

I love drawing faces too! I often draw my own, or spy on someone in a coffee shop and surreptitiously sketch them - because no-one will sit for me! It's really great fun isn't it?

Unknown said...

I'm enchanted! I make porcelain dolls...painting faces has always fascinated me. I loooove your Hydrangea Girl, LeeAnna!

quiltedfabricart said...

Agreed! Ditto on everything you said. Your doll reminds me of the fairies I used to make (dare I say it? In the 80's) Elinor Peace Bailey was a huge influence on me back then. Love her work. You also made me think of the first thing I remember making in art class in middle school. We were working with clay and I made a mans head - bald head, big nose. I was proud of it. My teacher encouraged me and said it was great, even though it probablly wasn't but that was my gateway to creativity. Shows how important a good teacher is.

AlidaP said...

I agree that art is more an expression of yourself than perfection or sale! Your work is beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing!!

Unknown said...

I love the Hydrangea Girl you did a beautiful job on her, she reminds of the fairies I collect and I would definitely add her to them.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Perfect post to rejuvenate this week!