Mary

Mary 20 x 10 x 1.5

is a painter from my oil class.  I feel so privileged to meet so many creatives of like mind!

One of the challenges I always try to introduce is the study of the figure.  We (I) don't have nearly enough opportunities to draw and paint from life.  Why?  Hiring models is expensive and prone to many difficulties.  Sometimes they don't show up.  Sometimes they want to relate so much that they talk through the sessions, moving every muscle in the pose.  And...the sessions must be timed.  Five minute breaks turn into ten.  And, when painting in a group (more affordable), the pose is often determined by the most dominant artist in the group.  The pose is usually sitting and often involves a fancy tea cup and massive draperies.  (UGH!)  At  one point, I hired a model for my small studio...the space limitations created even more problems, as I prefer standing at quite a distance in order to blur the too-many details. There... it is off my chest.  

On the flip side, photos flatten images, skew the values and offer up way too many details.  

This painting was created using a spontaneous photo reference from a moment when Mary was simply admiring the work of another artist.  As I really do like the small gestures that occur naturally in the comings and goings of humans, this shot satisfied me in that this pose with hands crossed behind the back IS SO MARY.  The plaid shirt is implied, the pattern  rendered more accurately at key junctures.  No mistake.  I believe that this small work implies Mary more than a portrait might.

I am happy.

Guilty as Charged...on taking time to pose the model...Denim Coat

Denim Coat   Watercolor/Mixed   13.25 x 9.5

Yes, there was mutiny aboard our watercolor class boat!  I quickly set up our model Jessica with a pose that I thought was different from the week before..straddling a chair with her denim coat hanging between her legs.  I have very little patience for the nit-picky positioning that takes place when more than one artist is directing.  (ah....too many cooks)  In fact, there have been several occasions when this process has taken at least a half hour....a half hour of painting time.  The tasks in my life have been subdivided into two categories:  those things that need to be done so that I can paint, usually done with great impatience; and creative painting time, where I have all the patience in the world.  As the class artists pointed out the following week, the pose was definitely not a good one for those learning to paint the figure...too much was hidden from view...too many assumptions.  I, on the other hand, have spent my life making lemonade....working with what I have, even though it is less than ideal.  So....my apologies to all of the art center painters.  I will try to have more patience next time....and perhaps delegate some of the requisite tasks, such as lighting and taking money, to others.

"Denim Coat" was painted transparently.  Since there was so much darkness and little variation, I chose to accentuate the patterning on the blouse and then pull it into a side border.  Tinted gouache was added to the background.  Lemonade.

Note to myself:  pose the model at least 15 minutes before painting time begins.  Arrange a pose that sufficiently portrays most of the body parts, and includes some counter or negative space as well.