On The Rocks

For some time now I have been cavalierly riding favorable currents with my figurative work. A medical emergency has crashed me on the rocks. Newly humbled, I now realize how good the sailing has been. This forced hiatus to make repairs should provide ample time to chart the next course.

Profile, oil pastel on toned paper, 8 1/2" X 7 1/2", 2018

Bringing It

Good models bring "it" to a figure session. They aren't just good at holding still. Their poses and attitude say something fundamental about themselves.

Reclining Nude, oil pastel, 8" X 9", 2012 

A Village

Art has been my solitary sanctuary since I was very young. When a model is involved even private sessions aren't solitary. Group sessions offer an unparalleled place to share the expense of a model and exchange ideas. For many years I have been attending long pose sessions at The Art League in Alexandria, VA. I owe great deal of gratitude to the artists who keep these sessions alive and so graciously share their passion for the figure.

Sam With Sword, oil on canvas, 12" X 10", 2018

On

There are times when working from a live model you are just "on". Brush strokes or pencil marks are uninhibited and aggressive. You might feel the surge right away but more often confidence builds gradually as a session progresses. It is not possible to predict when these welcome occasions will occur. Sometimes you aren't even aware that you were on until looking back years later.

Profile, oil pastel, 7" X 6", 2015

Just Drawing

Apparently late in his career the French artist Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823) abandoned painting altogether and devoted himself to drawing the nude. Sometimes a drawing says all that is necessary.

Sarah W., oil pastel on toned paper
10 1/2" X 6 3/4", 2019

Making Do

There is no working central heating in my studio. Electric space heaters take the edge off on cold winter days but rooms could never be described as "warm". Needless to say I am not hosting any models this winter. I will just have to make do.

Burton's Chair, oil pastel, 8" X 7 1/2", 2019

The Human Form

"I can only work from a model. The sight of the human form comforts and feeds me. I have infinite worship for the nude." Auguste Rodin.

Female Nude Study, oil pastel on toned paper, 7" X 7 1/2", 2018

Proportions

When working from the figure there are all sorts of formulas for achieving accurate proportions. Over the years I have tended to avoid them contending that a reliance on mechanics can stifle the process and lead to stiff, lifeless results.

Then, sometime in 2017, I grew frustrated with reoccurring proportion issues. To address this I began employing a simple technique of making length comparisons. Instead of constricting the drawing process, this method has proven liberating when used early and sparingly. Always, always question your assumptions.

Male nude, oil pastel, 9" X 9", 2018

Getting The Red Out

Prior to switching to a limited palette for my figurative work my biggest complaint was recurring "orange/brown" flesh tones. I mistakenly thought that a limited palette would solve this and a multitude of other issues. It didn't occur to me that red might assert itself leading me down an all to familiar path.

                          Oil on canvas, 12" X 10"                Oil on canvas,  14" X 12"

Red is by far the strongest toning pigment in my palette. I'm afraid the reds got out of hand with the study on the left. Encountering the same model a few weeks later this last November I set out to remedy this.

Right On Cue

My wife was the first to make me aware that my dark moods were seasonal. Reviewing past posts of this blog it is clear that my artistic struggles compound in the winter months. This years dip came right on cue in the form of a sudden and deep existential crisis. Trying to paint more only made matters worse. Embracing family and friends seems to have rescued me. A sunny reading spot in the afternoons doesn't hurt either.

December Light, oil pastel, 9" X 8", 2018

R & R?

Needing a break from the pressures of working from the live figure I retreated to a back room in my studio for a little painting R & R. I was craving a stationary subject whose availability would coincide with my schedule. Popcorn kernels, an old favorite, fit the bill nicely. I have long wanted to explore their exploded forms on a different scale.

Far from being restful and relaxing, however, the early sessions turned into a wrestling match with a rough textured linen surface.

Three kernels, oil on rough linen, 10" X 12", 2018

Drift

In previous posts I have mentioned my tendency to revert to old bad habits when painting the figure. Often it is only in hindsight that problems reveal themselves. To check this inclination I installed a long shelf on a prominent wall in the studio. On it I line up paintings as they are completed. Now I can see in real time when I start to drift off course.

Figure studies, oil on canvas or linen, September - November 2018

Step Away

Where my art is concerned I have an inclination to work through rough patches. There comes a point when simply working harder, trying to force results, becomes counterproductive. Sometimes an afternoon at the library is a better option than a session at the easel.

Portrait Study, oil pastel, 8" X 6", 2018

Value

Value, the light and dark kind, is central to any work of art. The basic concepts regarding value are simple but achieving a satisfactory range and balance between lights and darks can prove complex.

Reclining Nude, oil on linen, 19" X 27", 2013

No Substitute

Depicting the human form in any meaningful way requires working from an actual live model in a real environment. There is no surrogate capable of capturing the intensity inherent in a live figure session.

Male Nude, oil pastel, 7" X 9", 2012

Where was I?

I recently came across this drawing from six years ago. I remember it being primarily a value experiment. That it succeeds on some level is surprising considering I didn't fully understand what was happening at the time.

Standing Nude, oil pastel on toned paper
14" X 9", 2012

Lost

After years of painting the nude in oils I have begun seeing results that approach my expectations. One might think I would feel a sense of accomplishment, maybe even of having arrived. Instead, I feel lost - utterly lost.

Nude, oil on canvas, 18" X 14", 2018

Body Art

I have drawn and painted scores of models over the years. Early on it was rare to see tattoos. Now body art is quite common. Surface designs add a level of complexity to rendering the figure and my default habit has been to ignore them. I am just starting to key into how important these markers can be in capturing a model's true self.

Wayne, oil pastel on toned paper, 9" X 8 1/2", 2018

Have At It

There is no better place than a single long pose figure session to let loose on a painting - to have at it. If things go well, great. If not, there is always the next time. A live figure environment generates palpable energy, just tap it.

Nude, oil on canvas, 12" X 14", 2018

Numbers

I started using a limited palette almost a year ago. Quickly sensing the potential of the method, I dove head first into working as many private and group figure sessions as possible. My reasoning was simple, do more paintings and get better. There is no doubt that progress can only come with practice but volume doesn't necessarily lead to improved results. A number count is far less important than intent and intensity.

Seated Nude, oil on panel mounted linen
5 1/2" X 5 1/2", 2018