Okay, so, I wanted to try something new, and that was oil painting. I’d heard about this artist, Jerri Painter, and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” So, I got myself some basic supplies—some canvases, a few brushes, and a set of oil paints. Nothing fancy, just the basics to get started.
First things first, I needed a subject. I decided to go with something simple, something that wouldn’t make me pull my hair out. I remembered reading somewhere that the Mona Lisa is like, the most famous painting ever. And I thought, “Well, if I’m going to mess this up, might as well mess up something iconic, right?” So, I found a picture of the Mona Lisa online and used that as my reference.
I set up my little “studio” in my living room, which basically meant clearing off the coffee table and putting down some old newspapers. Then, I started sketching. Let me tell you, drawing the outline was way harder than I expected. Getting those proportions right was a real pain. But, after a few tries and a lot of erasing, I had something that kinda resembled the Mona Lisa.
Next up, the painting. I mixed some colors on my palette, trying to match the ones in the reference picture. This was probably the most fun part, even though I had no idea what I was doing. I just slapped some paint on the canvas and hoped for the best.
- I started with the background, using some dark colors to create that mysterious vibe.
- Then, I moved on to her face, which was super tricky. Trying to get that subtle smile right? Forget about it.
- Her hands were another challenge. I mean, they look simple, but they’re not. Trust me.
After a few hours of painting, touching up, and stepping back to squint at my work, I finally called it a day. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. But, it was mine. My own, very amateurish, version of the Mona Lisa. I even felt a little bit like those famous painters I read about, like Van Gogh or Michelangelo, even though my skills are nowhere near theirs. I guess everyone starts somewhere, right?
I showed it to my roommate, and she just laughed, which I guess is a good sign? Maybe? Anyway, it was a fun experiment. I learned a lot, and I definitely have a newfound respect for Jerri Painter and all those other artists out there who make it look so easy. Would I do it again? Probably. Maybe next time I’ll try something a little less ambitious, though. Or maybe I’ll just stick to stick figures. We’ll see.
