Ellen was our model for this two week pose. I painted the dress with bold strokes, finishing with a thick wide brush, with no added paint, to smooth things out and eliminate harsh lines. The tapestry in the background worked best with undiluted pure color, and after the patterns were suggested, I went back in to rework the fabric, uniting the tapestry and patterns and eliminating the "painted on" appearance. I used a bluish payne's grey for the deep shadows in the pleats of the dress and, and forcefully emphasized the hands and feet with outline or shadow. I gave the light source direction, showing that the bent knee and top of dress are bathed in light. The simplicity of the room helps focus on the model and wall hanging. Initially, I painted in a window with trees, however the teacher insisted I respond to what was actually there. The window would have imparted a very different feel. The face was simplified and I utilized subtle shades of flesh tones to contruct the facial planes. Overall, the mood is one of serenity and repose, and the sitter exudes confidence, perhaps a touch of wistfulness and longing.
At the Beach
I love the way the flesh tones are repeated in the colors of the sand, and those of the ocean in her eyes. There is a consistency in the brush strokes and style of both fore and backgounds, and the light source and shading is strong. The sun is strong, bleaching out the details of the right side of the face that in the light. The waves are not overdone, which helps to focus attention to the face. The slightly sunburnt features , including the nose and cheeks, are depicted with strong orange hues. The corners of the lips are alizaran crimson, and the nostrils are a mix of alizaran and cad red light, indicating upward reflected light from the sand. This can also be noted at the undersurface of the chin. I avoided black entirely, using a touch of Payne's grey when needed for strong darks, as in the eyeliner. This keeps the painting looking sunny and bright and muddiness is avoided. The eyes are squinting in the light, and there are similar creases at the corners of the slightly upturned lips. Payne's grey and sap green were used in large measure for the color of the sea, toned down with white and a few streaks of prussian blue throne in for good measure. I felt that green or blue on their own was too intense. I also used prussian blue to fiercely demarcate the traingle formed by the neck, hair, jaw and clavicle, accentuating the strong features.
Art Students League May 2007
The teacher said that Manet could be my muse, or perhaps Velasquez - two of my favorites. He liked my tonalities and broad swaths of color. He told me that in order to get the angle of the head right, that is looking upwards, to focus heavily on the shadows of the neck and jaw. I found this exciting, as you can note that beneath the jaw I subdivide the shadow tones into at least four segments, darkest, lighter, and even a reflected light immediately underneath the chin. The teacher emphasized the need to paint the eye within the socket, and to make sure it recedes into the dark hollows therein.
Hiroshima Survivor Drawing
The building in the back is the only one that remained and is now a memorial site.
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