Thursday, February 18, 2010

Acrylic Painting from the live female model. Come to class prepared!


Figure drawing group started with the usual warm-ups - 2-3 minute poses for gesture drawig.  These are done with Nupastel on 14" x 17" white drawing paper.  I like that the model did several standing and then a few stitting poses - they worked well layered on one page.


Next we worked on a 7 minute pose (we couldn't decide on a 5 or a ten minute pose so 7 minutes was the compromise!)  I love the shape of her back - almost abstracted by her pose.  I lengthened her legs...I may try and re-visit this pose and work on a painting.

I haven't done an acrylic painting from the live model in a while, so I decided to try that last night.  I brought a 9" x 12" primed panel (which I realized today that I painted up up-side down....the built-in hanger on her back is now at her feet! ha!)  What I did not bring with me was a good selection of brushes.  I only had one flat brush, 1" wide, which I used to block in the large shapes and values, and the only small brushes were little round ones, and it was difficult to build up volume and value quickly. 

and yes...that sticker does say "Artists do it creatively"

I don't feel like she is "sitting" in the chair yet, so I took a photo of the set-up after our model went on break.


I see a few things that I need to work on, such as the shift in her shoulders - the shoulder closer to me was significantly higher than her back shoulder - that's why one breast is higher than the other.  The shadow on her cheek also feels too harsh - I need to go back and soften it a little more.  Over all there's minor value shifts that need to be pushed to create a better sense of volume (such as the side of her torso to the flat area of her stomach)

I was pleased to get so much done while working form the model...I hope I can add those few finishing touches and bring it all together!

2 comments:

pegi said...

I love these! The darker pink outline/background on the second painting down....I love that!
I also realize that you explain yourself so well, I need to learn all the art language! When you talk about what you did or are doing to a painting, I can see and understand you. That's a talent all its own!!

Krystyna81 said...

I'm so glad you can understand me Pegi :) I tend to talk in circles sometimes...I think I want to give advice and direction, but also let everyone make their own decissions and see what they want to see.