Self Portrait 2

This self-portrait predates the one in the previous post titled "Self Portrait 1." This was drawn as an assignment in a life-drawing class I was taking at the Art Students League of NY. It was only the second "realistic" self-portrait I had ever drawn, though I had drawn myself many times in cartoon form in my sketchbooks. I drew one previous "serious" self-portrait prior to this many years before, when, having graduated college, I contemplated applying to the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida. Their application requirements included providing several pieces of art, one of which was a self-portrait. (I will post that here in a separate post.) I was living in Florida at the time and trying to decide what to do with myself. In the end, I didn't apply to the Ringling School, and I moved to New York City, (following two college friends of mine). Here, I enrolled in the Art Students League and took life drawing classes there for 25 years.

After this drawing, I have made several other self-portraits, all during the years when I had a beard. I haven't drawn myself since shaving my beard almost 14 years ago. I think it's time I have a go at it.