S.P.O,D oct 17

**Android** · October 18th, 2002, 11:38 PM

Im late- this is my third portrait, I did one last night and one this morning and the muse cast them both into the void. here is the outcome

**Archangelus** · October 19th, 2002, 01:29 AM

Dr. Jones?
Very cool. Dark and brooding. Your work rocks. I was just wondering...are you ever gonna go for a change'o'pace and do something really happy...bright? Showing yourself in different emotional states other than brooding, dark, neutral or angry? Some self-portraits that show the broader canvas of Human Emotions? More nuances of emotion as well. Like Happy but pensive or sad yet hopeful. Something that captures different aspects of your essance as a person. Or, as you keep saying, your soul. Via colour, style and technique. Look...you could draw rings around me and what you've done is so impressive...I'm sure you've done some different emotional states in the past. It just seems like they're always brooding and dark. There's got to be more to you and your being than that right? Aren't you supposed to be a 3 dimensional character or being? So reflect it in the work about your face and the search for your soul as you call it. I think you could push your amazing portraiture project even further. Hope I didn't bust a nose out of joint by saying this. If I am way off-base here, I am willing to say "Mea Culpa". If I did, sorry...meant no offense. Peace.

**nacho** · October 19th, 2002, 06:59 AM

wow, i like the solid look of it.

@archangelus:

i think there are different enotional states in andrews portraits. you have to look at the whole picture.. not just the expression on his face. colors, lighting, brushstrokes..
if you wanna see something different, look at his "gotcha!" portrait... one of my favourites

**davi** · October 19th, 2002, 03:36 PM

Great piece as always.

Archangelus: I mean not to be rude or start a grudge by the following words i say to you. Personally I find what you are suggesting to android is some what... mind-booglingly stupid. You ask an artist deep with feelings and emotion to change. That's like saying to picasso, "Stop drawing blue you idiot". I believe from what android has said before that he isn't honestly painting for YOU(us), but more as a "venting" of emotions and doing the portraits is for his self enjoy ment. Posting them for us is just a plus. If he was doing these for our personal amusement... I'm not honestly sure how I would think about these. One of the main things I like about the portraits is that it is more then just a painting of a fleshed skull, it's emotion sculputed from "paint". I might be rambling. I might be preaching, but all in all I respect this visually diary android presents to us daily, and I would never want him to alter his emotions in his works for better suit "us".

**oglzogl** · October 19th, 2002, 06:07 PM

Reminds me of a greek bust. One of those copper sculptures they pulled out of the Mediteranian... Very nice.

I also think it is strange to ask somebody to feel a certain way. Or to portray a certain emotion.. especially in a piece as personal as a self portrait. I appreciate the honesty in Android's SPODs very much.

**Archangelus** · October 19th, 2002, 08:21 PM

First off, glad to have triggered a response for good or ill.
Second, Hi Davi,
I haven't taken any offense, dude.

However the "mind-booglingly stupid" part was rather tactless. (chuckle) I mean shucks...but no grudges, man...I appreciate the honesty.

Anyway...Davi hear what your saying but I don't think that I am, to quote you, "asking an artist deep with feelings and emotion to change." What I meant by the end of my early post was this:
"Can you paint something that captures different aspects of your essance as a person? Not just seemingly (key word there) two or three." Which Nacho was kind enough to point out that he does.

Andrew said at the beginning of this artistic journey that this was a search for his soul. I was wondering if he could explore his other emotional states in his work. To journey into other parts of his soul, so to speak. Meaning, if someone is almost always happy explore the darkness in you. If someone is almost always dark can you explore the oppisite, the light, within you. Perhaps he is doing this and it is evident to a daily follower of his work. I am an intermittent viewer, which perhaps shifts the perspective. I don't mean for him to paint an emotion he doesn't feel. Just to show the variety he does and should feel as a Human Being on a such an amazingly introspective journey. That's all. And I am by no means disrespecting his work. I think it is spectacular.

And Davi? As for doing this personal project just for himself with no need to show any of us? Which is what I gather you meant when you said this: "...and doing the portraits is for his self enjoy ment. Posting them for us is just a plus. If he was doing these for our personal amusement... I'm not honestly sure how I would think about these." Can I just say...c'mon! Can anyone who posts on this forum say that they are not posting for some miniscule part of their ego? An ego that will be deriving a little personal amusement at making others get some personal amusement from their work? Gimme a break. Artists don't just paint, write or sing or play their works just only for themselves. That is not part of human nature. And it's not a bad thing to do either...within reason. Anyway, that's all for now. Keep posting the wonderful work, Dr. Jones. Again, I meant no offense to anyone...you most especially Andrew. Peace.

**davi** · October 20th, 2002, 01:26 AM

I'm to sleepy to reply to all of your statements, but about everyone posting for an ego, of freaking course that's what alot of it is about. I always here people complaining about how they don't get more replies the other people, and if it wasn't about them stroking their ego then it wouldn't matter who posted or not. Also i think alot of people post because they feel their art goes to waste. I don't have a website, I usually post my artwork and if the thread dies before 3 posts... I feel pretty sh*tty, because that art will probably never been seen again... but as you can see i'm very sleeply and i think i went way off the topic...zzzz

**Android** · October 20th, 2002, 03:54 AM

Wow, a contravarsy, how exciting.

Archangelus- thank you for encouraging me to push my emotions of my portraits, I appreciate and respect your honest critique.

naho- oglzogl- and Davi - thank you for defending my artistic integrity, it really means alot to me to read your insight int omy work.

for starters I do not consider myself a dark and brooding person, but trying to vindicate the value of my artictic soul through art is not a sunny walk through the park and i do not take it light heartedly, every time i begin i force myself to stare deep into the mirror. sometimes i see things i dont want to look at but when I find them I do tend to focus on those aspects so I can exorcize the demons and better understand them for the future, granted most of my portraits have a very seroius tone to them, but its seroius buisness. the deep stare of concentration and focus that this requires can come across visualy as a darker emotion but its usualy not the case. lets take this portrait for example, I assume you consider this dark and brooding. i can understand your concern, but if that is your perception it is incorrect, if you saw yesterdays portrait I was angry, I didnt want that anger to cary over anoter day. this portrait is about me overcoming my anger. i wanted to appear solid. like a pice of bronze, the colors in the background reflect the optomism of the aproaching morning and what it will bring. I dont expect everyone to know the meaning behind all of these but I do encourage people to look beyond the surface expression
my life is hard, I sacrifice everything for my art, I have burned and neglected everyone I have loved or cared about in ehchange for a cleaner stroke and a greater body of work. and I offer no apologies. and I woud not have it any other way.
these portraits are not a relfection of me they are me, each one is a pice of myself , my soul, me being, I share them with everyone for many reasons. Is my ego an issuse, of course it is. a self portrait is probably one of the most egotistical investments an artist can make of his time. but the ego trip ended a long time ago. this is not about ego to me anymore it is about inspiration, take look at the guest portrait thread, over 1000 posts. and almost 20.000 views, this thread has inspired similar threads on eatpoo and the sinjim forums. its not just about ego, its about art. artist making art for the sake of art, and inspiring more artists to do the same. that what keeps me here now, thats what keep lots of people here and coming back.
I take this journey one day at a time , who know what my destiny has in store for me and what emotions i will encounter. I promise nothing, i will say if if i do make a happy smiling portrait i will have to be pretty fucking happy to hold a grin for half an hour, trust me I look forward to that day more than anyone else.

thanks for inspiring me to post a reply, i unfortunately dont have time to reply to every coment I recive right now but I felt i could not ignore this topic.

android