Hi, Friends, are you enjoying your life? It is fun to make self-portraits like my own history. I made a selfie to commemorate my birthday. This selfie is based on a sketch reflected on a train window on my way home from Bill Baily's show. My dear friends took me to it to celebrate my birthday. Tada~~, it's me. Do you make a self portrait?
A friend, with a sigh, says self-acceptance is needed to create a selfie. I've just looked at myself in a rude?! way = objectively. I do a self portrait for a fun and from a joy. Simply, I want brushes dance and colours sing on a paper. For me, a selfie is making a short fun trip around in myself like backpacking, telling "Yahoo, Sadami!", although it is said, "A self portrait shows an inner journey" -- could not be my case? I hear some people cannot make selfies, I wonder if they are too harsh on themselves, which means they expect themselves too much. Or they do not want to see what they do not like in their self images or deny the reality that does not meet their high expectations. It causes anxiety, concerns and depression. If they cannot create self portraits from fear or denial of themselves, it is very sad.
Here are my self portraits. Interesting to see the changing in a chronological order.
This is the oldest one I tried from a low angle. I looked at myself in a mirror. Keeping a smile was a hard task. Not easy. So, I "just" looked at myself. Friends say, "It's like looking at a mirror in the morning." Ahahaha, a nice depiction!
Another is based on a photo. Professors said, "Frame it!" It took hours to finish up. I was not fast to capture a subject as I hoped. It motivated me to try daily sketching even in a train on the way to uni.
Another selfie I made is from the image in a mirror. Since that time, I've started to explore watercolour painting and had a strong interest in "loose up." I drew quicker and started to enjoy sketching at everywhere! I began to play with colours and brought a watercolour kit to anywhere. It's nice to swim around in an ocean of colours! Splash, splash, yey!
Then, I made a selfie in a loose style...like below.
"How young are we?" is the questionary based on my thinking. If a person has dream, s/he is young and looks young. A physical year does not tell a person is young or not. A person without dream is ... already not alive, in my eyes. Aging is an interesting experience. I'm enjoying it and do not have a negative attitude. Of course, sometimes, I feel hey, not easy, ah, wrinkles, but in my figure portraits, do you find any wrinkles? No. In my eyes, muscles positions/conditions show a physical age more than wrinkles. Yet, a physical age does not always tell being old or young. If you have a dream/goal/direction to go, you look young. A person with a dream has a lively mood and a good atmospher in her/himself and shining!
...and my drawing has moved into a current style, very loose.
The left is the first drawing in a train. It made me smile. I felt I got old! (Of course, I added a year on my age.) But I love what I am, called self-acceptance? I do not think about it any more. *A psychology lecturer once told me with a smile, "If it's a matter, you think about it" = no, it does not bother me. The right is the ongoing selfie. Friends, do you always want to make a background or not? Sometimes, I do and sometimes, not. When I started colour, I felt like creating a background. Then, I made a background and the firstly posted work came up! In my eyes, life is full of sunshine, light and colours. Any people are beautiful. Please be kind to yourself and appreciate self-acceptance.
Also, I do not think, when I draw.
"If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothingn," by Marc Chargall and "Have your own colour," ; they are my favorite says.
The other day, we, life drawing class memberes sketched an outside, plain air.
One member -- who had already published a picture book -- called me, a "famous artist" for this nameless artist! (Thank u so much for your cheers.) Friends, attention! That artist has declared to draw me in a life drawing class or else where! Oooohhh!!! What an honour! I'll have to try a diet and search for a push up-bra. My other friends say, "Oh, sure, you'll die in poverty and then, you'll be famous. That's the artist's way." Gulp. I hope to die, at least, after launching the picture book "Moon" at Gleebooks in next August. (*A date is still moving, sorry.)
Another, "tada~~"! I'm now working with a professor for an academic publication project. Once, the lecturer taught us. Working together is a great fun. (** Ewwwww!!! Thank goodness, I do not get assignments any more!) We'll publicly announce the project in detail, later. Look forward to the good news.
In addition, yesterday, I, a poor artist, was brawsing around a Salvo shop. All the staff knew me and welcomed me. I found a pill case and kept on holding it for a while. I was thinking to make it into a watercolour kit... A staff, who enjoys her retired life to work there, came and said, "Oh, too early to use it! Too early!" I eventually put it back and bought a children literature chapter book on Beethoven (*an illustrator was my admiring artist).
... after leaving the shop, ...I wondered.... Hey, did she said it seriously or a joke? A nice birthday present for me ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ. Or do I still have self-denial?! Ahahahahaha!!?
1)Selfies & Self Acceptance 2) Project For Academic Publication
Now, Friends, I'll take a holiday leave for blogging.Good news is the project is right on a track! Very happy. 
I'd write what I've been seeking for in myself as an illustrator. I want to grow as an illustrator in this "wrist" holiday leave. Time for studying and lots of reading.Regarding drawing skills, I have no doubt. But not enough. 
Illustration must tell a story or shows emotions and stimualates readers' imagination. I'm looking at good illustrators' work and thinking over what I want to do. Good illustrators do these all : deliberated settings, hidden evidence and symbolic meanings. Good illustrators never waste any page. Since childhood, I've realized it and read picture books like detective stories. For me, the last page was a great fun. I've been a very good detective.
I'll keep up sketching. Drawing is my language and very the basic skills. And your language, too. You and me carry conversations in drawing and painting. Let us chat in universal language, art. 
I challenged A2. Technically, A2 is huge and pretty hard to control wash. Need more practice to get used to it. My artists frineds are looking forward to an outcome work ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ . 
Dreaming in Chemo $750
If you know cancer patients, family, carers, friends etc, etc, please pass this information. 
Regarding my disability in the leg, the idiopathic chronic condition motivated me to explore who I am.
The violets from a dear friend are blooming out now. 
