Painting models from life ….. Why paint a human still life?
Shawni. 16×12 acrylic. November, 2008. What do you do when you find yourself in a model group… They have posed the model, often in a position no human would ever sit in for 2 hours (and it often shows on their face and posture), and you’ve been there, (yawn) done that so many times before? I have begun to find patterns in the environment just as relevant to a painting that creates a feeling within me, like this one, a two-hour sketch of a model called Shawni. I love to feel totally connected with "All That Is" (at the risk of sounding biblical…) when I paint and so, instead of struggling to get a likeness of the model, everything else that intrigues me becomes part of the painting. Just in the moment, seeing everything; quite Zen really, I should imagine. (And no… I’m not sitting cross-legged humming all day!)
HANNAH. 16×12 Oil on panel. November, 2008
So…. I was in a model group and the model, lovely lady, was propped-up looking stunning (as usual), and my heart sank a little. Meanwhile, whilst getting out my paints, drinking cups of tea trying to get motivated, I watched this wonderful woman called Hannah really "getting after it" across the room. Hair and arms a-flailing, tongue poking through her cheek; her face expressing such a wide array of emotions I think she was painting a vampire one minute, and an angel the next, no vamipire… No angel. Well… With such an interesting lady, it was no choice for me. I was painting her, plus the doors and the air conditioning vent behind her, her bags below her, etc. When she finally decided to walk around, about 2 (20 min.) sessions later, she walked behind me and said "Well I like that…. OH MY GOODNESS! IT’S ME!!!" Great for me is that she bought it, so everyone was happy. Well worth my $5.00 model fee.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Mural Painter Lee Bowerman Fine Art Historic Murals…
Found it very useful….
December 13th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Thank you!