This is one I’ve completed recently but with a much tighter handling than before…
The Ratcliffe Venus
I have an art history background. Whilst a back view is not perhaps unusual there are not many famous nudes in that style and I wonder if I had – if only in the colour scheme – tipped a nod to Velasquez’ Rokeby Venus …
The Rokeby Venus - Velasquez
Or Ingres’ Bather:
La Baigneuse - Ingres
These are after all, paintings I’ve known for a long time and will have informed how I approached the painting of the subject – but they were not conscious sources. (The only direct quote here incidentally, is the background silk taken from Sargent’s Lady Agnew. In sky blue here though to complement her flame hair).
You see, as an inveterate academic I start from the premise that nothing originates from me and that I am obliged to list every possible reference source – lest there be a pretension of originality…
Anyway, the source of this painting was a 15 min life drawing:
Life Drawing
I hope you like it.
When I first started posting on this site I sang the virtues of short poses. I had begun life drawing doing 1 hr poses but quickly found that I could get a lot of information by doing 15 min poses.
Lauren
This is one of Lauren, 15 min sketches of whom have formed the basis of other paintings on this site: “Late afternoon light”, “Baby it’s cold outside” and “The Ratcliffe Venus”
Look at this fabulous commissioned portrait by Anders Zorn: “The daughters of Ramon Subercasseaux”
A Portrait Of The Daughters Of Ramon Subercasseaux
The composition is uncompromising. The striking features are the snapshot effect and the minimal use of palette. This is probably derived from use of no more than four colours, which helps focus on tone.
There is some debate as to whether Zorn really used a limited palette but here he clearly does and to great effect.
Ever leading with the chin I tried to do a similar exercise.
I derived a pencil sketch of my children painting:
Smock on Tommy - sketch
And executed an oil sketch with a limited palette of cadmium red, yellow ochre, titanium white and raw umber:
Smock on Tommy
We have a saying in our house whenever they want to paint. It’s little joke they may get when they are older. “What must we do first children before we paint?”
“Smock on Tommy” they cry in unison.
It amuses me.
Ever tried doing a sketch of someone from memory. This is one I did of Bristol artist Chris Hibbard from memory.
Memory - Chris Hibbard
I had met him a couple of times when I did it. In comparing it with hi photo though I was tempted to amend but thought better of it.
If you want to compare it with him check out his website at: www.chris-hibbard.co.uk/
Oh no!!! Some gremlin corrupted my site and sadly, I’ve lost 8 months of comments, posts, media etc. … Aaaarrrgghhh!!!!!
But then again, I’m reading Moby Dick at the moment and Melville there talks of how many histories, eventful lives and deeds unfurl and yet go forever unrecorded and untraced on the surface of the oceans…
Hmm. Vanity vanity, all is vanity etc…
Summer at Sea Palling
Well, ho hum! Welcome to website no.2.
Please post a comment and, spammers, please dont.
Thanks.
Ian
Feb 2012
