Arts·Bad at Art

In just 10 days, this beginner artist is 'finding himself' in the form of a self-portrait

From 2D to 3D to...macaroni?, Stephen Robinson is finding the best medium to render his image in the most soul-capturing way.

Edmonton human Stephen Robinson is not an artist, but he’s looking to find out how much of one you can become

In just 10 days, this beginner artist is "finding himself" in the form of a self-portrait

4 years ago
Duration 7:49
From 2D to 3D to... macaroni?, Stephen Robinson is finding the best medium to render his image in the most soul-capturing way.

This video is part of an ongoing series called "Stephen is Bad at Art," in which the titular Stephen Robinson takes on a variety of art challenges he's set for himself — with the help of a bunch of experts, and sometimes his cat. Check out Stephen's YouTube channel where he makes videos on learning new skills, persistence and tackling boredom.

Stephen Robinson says he's bad at art. He's definitely not, as far as we can tell. What's our evidence? In just 10 days, Stephen can climb an artistic learning curve that leads to a ceramic bong, a better watercolour of his cat or — in this case — the most pleasing self-portrait.

Here's how this works: in each video, Stephen sets himself a task. He contacts an expert (in this case, artist Cara Guri) for some beginning tips, and then he gets to work, spending hours a day — every day — on his chosen form of art. 

In this video made by Stephen himself, you'll see as he takes on a bunch of different media to figure out how he looks best in self-portrait form. And you'll find out that dedication to a task — even if it's macaroni — can take you a long way in 10 days. And let's face it, you probably still have time on your hands, so maybe you'll be inspired to figure out the food item that best captures your likeness too!

Follow Stephen Robinson's YouTube channel here and stay tuned for more episodes of Stephen is Bad at Art.

CBC Arts understands that this is an incredibly difficult time for artists and arts organizations across this country. We will do our best to provide valuable information, share inspiring stories of communities rising up and make us all feel as (virtually) connected as possible as we get through this together. If there's something you think we should be talking about, let us know by emailing us at cbcarts@cbc.ca. See more of our COVID-related coverage here.

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