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.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Perfection

Looking back at my early watercolor and drawing days I now see that I was striving for perfection. A slow buildup of layers culminating with a "perfect" image. I was never successful in this quest. No matter how long or hard I worked the finished product always came up short. When I started painting in oils and later focusing on the figure this mindset vanished. Now I would much rather a painting be dynamic and confidently executed than perfect.

Male Nude Study, oil on canvas, 8" X 10", 2008

Imperfections are of little importance in quick drawings or oil studies. The two paintings depicted here were completed during single sessions. I'm sure I could come up with a list of things wrong but I have no desire to. Both paintings possess a directness I value.

Seated Nude, oil on canvas 12" X 10", 2013

In spite of my best efforts all of my longer term paintings have flaws, sometime glaring ones. I have reached a point where I almost relish the imperfections - they add a certain level of interest. Often the energy in a work can vanish when I find myself fussing over small details.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)