A self Portrait.

How do I see myself? How do I want others to see me? There were many questions I asked myself considering my entry into this contest.

In the end, I decided to take my own picture as reference, then paint in my own style using gouache.

Vibrant, textured, a little overdone. Some might say tacky. This is what best represents me and my passions. I am a watercolor and gouache painter with obsession for botanicals, birds and really any pretty thing.

You’ll find painting process photos below.

I started with a pencil sketch, watercolor flats, then increased opacity with gouache.

Thank you for you consideration,

Raquel Blacken