The next step

I have worked from the live nude periodically since the early 1970's. This blog started August 9th, 2012 in my second year of working almost exclusively from the figure.

In the fall of 2015 I reintroduced still lifes and an occasional cityscape into my painting repertoire. Rather than abandon this figure blog or start a new one I decided to add them to the conservation.

All drawings and paintings posted on this blog were done entirely from live models or on location.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Hobby Artist Revisited

Awhile back I revealed that I had begun referring to myself as a "hobby" artist as opposed to a "professional" artist (see October 6th and 16th, 2016 posts). The main reason for doing so was to simplify the tax paperwork involved in the enterprise of keeping a studio and selling art. My main takeaway was that labels were of little importance. But now I have decided on a more fitting designation.

Seated Nude, oil pastel, 8 1/2" X 8", 2011

Henceforth I shall answer to "student" artist. More than any title this captures my true circumstances both past and present. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and painting I earned in 1976 was the beginning, not the end of my studies.



Sunday, April 9, 2017

The Long Pose

For me there has always been a certain level of anxiety associated with working from the live figure. This unease is primarily performance based. The fear being that a drawing or painting won't be up to par. This insecurity never entirely goes away but now my main apprehension is time based - specifically that there won't be enough of it.

Portrait Study, oil pastel, 9" X 7", 2017

Nude Study, oil pastel on toned paper, 12" X 9", 2017

I did these two drawings last week at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. The five hour session features a single pose. It would be hard to overstate the calming effect of having an adequate block of time with which to work.