Inktober Day 8, Frail

What's up true believers?
I hope life is treating you whale.

In today's news, I just learned about a new Etherium based social media called Pepo.
I can't wait to try it but right now it is by invite only.
It proposes to allow you to post short 30 second videos like vine and went live at Devcon.
It's going to be interesting to see blockchain social media projects strive to succeed just as Steem did but where so many failed.

For my Inktober project I was inspired by Frida Kahlo's outstanding series of autobiographical portraits. Throughout her career, she painted herself with a rich vocabulary of symbols, some easier to decipher then others and many representing the ongoing pains she was going through after surviving a brutal accident at 18. She is an inspiration in the way she has shared her vulnerability to the world which is why the prompt frail made me think of her.

A revolutionary far ahead of her time, Frida is extremely powerful with her bold personality yet she is willing to talk about her weaknesses, at least in painting. Although the communist ideals of the 40s never manifested, I admire her for staying true to her convictions until her last breath which is why I drew myself with the unibrow.

This first drawing has a good face and the treatment is experimental.

However I went way too dark with the India ink, especially for my visage. I had to start over.

I am very proud to have lit a fire under my student's proverbial behind with this challenge. They have done a great job.

This is actually the first time so many have worked out of class.

I tell them not to be shy to share them on social media, they are amazing. I hope they do!

Here we go, take 2, starting with some quick pen marks and then a loose India Ink wash.

This is my setup at a friend's place. I found the mirror in Outremont and I am convinced it belonged to a hasidic household so I call it my Jewish mirror. Look at those abs, not to shabby Eddy ;)

This version is almost complete. I am struggling to find a real likeness in both attempts but it does make for an interesting drawing.

Now with a little more shading, it is done.

I remember reading a book about Frida Kahlo as a child and she left a strong impression that stayed with me. Her paintings read like Tarot cards with a profoundly spiritual narrative.

Frankly, I am glad I started over because the depth in the bird conveys my despair about the world a lot better. That feeling of emptiness I have to live with sometimes and feeling trapped, nailed to the arbitrary structures of society.

What I admire the most about Kahlo is not that she was suffering so much but how mindful and deliberate she was in her way of communicating that pain. Not all art is a form of communication but hers is, and the poetry is stunning.

We are all made out the most fragile flesh and I consider myself so fortunate to have good physical health. However, things are not easy on an emotional plane so there is a lot to relate to with the pain.