I’ve often admired artists who could really paint sunlight into their portraits. Inspired by the national artist Fernando Amorsolo, I’d seek out paintings where the entire canvas would be flooded with sunlight. It was one of my frustrations, until now.

Details. I know nobody looks at paintings this close - but I do.

Details. I know nobody looks at paintings this close – but I do.

Now that I’ve started to learn how to paint, I’ve been trying to find out how to incorporate the light without making the painting look too washed out or loaded with white.

MrAndMrsAzcuna-details02

God knows, when I start painting portraits, one of the things I always worry about is, ‘will it look like the person’? Another thing that worries me is, ‘what part of the person’s personality will I capture’? I don’t know. I think ever since I started painting, I’ve started to worry about things people don’t even think about everyday. 🙂

MrAndMrsAzcuna-72dpi

Mrs. Azcuna was one of the directors of the college Honor’s Class when I was in St. Scholastica’s College, Manila. We all had problems maintaining our grades. She was the one who told me point blank, “You know, you’re in the wrong course.” She said it not because my grades were failing, but [perhaps] of the countless doodles I’d do during class. I entered the course because it was what my parents wanted.

She was one of the teachers who tried to convince me to walk this road. 24 years later, I am now walking the road. This is my way of thanking them, one by one.

About the Author

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