Francis Bacon

Watching this documentary on Francis Bacon, I'm no longer surprised at my difficulties in wresting free of his influence, as my (also autodidactic) process is becoming only more similar to his working technique over the years. Allowing chance to guide most of the work, insisting on visual sharpness and emotional impact...
If I could afford a studio, canvas and paints, I might accidentally become even slavishly imitative, in spite of differing outlooks and aims. Oh well. What can I say, the only subject that interests me are human beings, their personalities and emotions, and the past century is quite devoid of major artists who did not steer well clear of that subject, apart from Picasso and Bacon. A reaction to the overwhelming sentimentality of the 19th century, no doubt.