Yesterday I went on a hike. That should be non-eventful except I haven’t done any (read zero, none) exercise in fourteen months.
I took the camera thinking I might see something worth sketching but not really wanting to interfere with the exercise.
I chose Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park because I simply like the place. There is a one mile hike to the top. As hikes go, the guidebooks would rate it strenuous I think.
When I was forty-one, I had gotten to a point where I could hike it non-stop in fifteen minutes.
Now, I’m forty-nine and I didn’t make it to the top. I got nauseated, rested, trudged on, got nauseated again, rested, trudged on, got nauseated one last time just for fun, rested…and took my picture.
I took my picture with the intent of sketching it for this post and giving it the title “Portrait of a Fat Man in Total Misery”.
As it turned out, the pose doesn’t look like I felt all that bad. Trust me. I did. The nausea is from over exertion when the body has been decommissioned from active service. Trying to de-mothball it with such a strenuous challenge was the problem.
What I Learned…
- I learned the extra forty pounds I’m carrying has got to go.
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I learned the lack of regular, disciplined exercise has got to go.
- I learned that cold pressed watercolor paper makes for rather leathery looking skin when scanned.
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I learned I need to work on portraiture a lot if I’m ever going to try and paint anyone but me.
As for the portrait, it’s not too far off the mark but I’m not very satisfied with my portrait skills. I usually give myself a fair amount of critical leeway because I’m doing this for fun. But portraits need to capture a “likeness” and I haven’t really done enough people drawings to get my mind ’round that yet.
It’s a matter of practice. So, you may have to tolerate a few attempts at people drawings in the coming posts if I decide to concentrate on honing those skills.
As for the forty pounds and lack of exercise…the decision’s been made. Permanent changes are a comin’.
