Friday 27 April 2012

The view from here


Last nights art therapy session was an oil painting session looking at ideas from how Lucian Freud applied the paint to the canvas, we had a brief look at some of his portraits before being unleashed for an hour on some oil paint. What I love about these sessions is the embarrassment of equipment riches, copious paint new brushes and easels. I am definitely buying some easel next year. Sadly due to the effing trains I was late and so failed to procure an very good mirror, so ended up holding it. This meant that when I eventually stood back my proportions were skewed, I now fully appreciate the genius of Freud who barely sketched the outline before piecing the parts of a face together to create a far more accurate reflection, but it was great fun and not bad for an hours work!

3 comments:

materfamilias said...

from my humble perspective, this looks great! what an array of colours go into making those flesh tones. . .
Part of my excitement, when I took the illustrated journalling workshop, was in seeing the wealth of tools and materials -- of course, then it was shocking to head to an Art Supply shop and realize that one of the colours on my list was $25 for a small tube . . . and the brushes. . . and the quill nibs. . . and the markers.. .

Patricia G said...

Yes a great start. I can see that this is a difficult way of working - to get it right. Do you think it is a better way than sketching the composition before delving into the surfaces?

indigo16 said...

For me yes, I should have sketched more, I was too hasty. The reason I failed to properly was they gave us charcoal and I just can't stand the feel of it on board, it sets me teeth on edge, next time I shall use a pencil!