Saturday, March 28, 2009
Comparison Over Time
The Academy provides models on Thursday evenings for students to draw, sketch, paint, whatever. This is not part of any specific course, it's just another benefit of being a student here. I love this school.
Anyway, the model last night was one that I had painted before, just about a year ago, in Ted Xaras' class on Portraiture. At that time we were trying to work very carefully, and I was feeling even more a novice than I feel now. So I was glad for the chance to paint her again to see if the year has made any difference. This time I was rushed - knew that I had only about an hour and a half to complete the portrait - and lately I am trying to work much more loosely. I was working on a much smaller canvas this time. Still, the comparison is really interesting.
So:
I didn't realize until I got the small portrait home that not only was I painting her from the same angle (I'd gotten to the session late, and this was the only position I could take), but look: even the lighting was essentially the same. And without realizing it, I chose a very similar background color.
Bottom line? In both portraits, there is stuff that I like, and I still have an awful lot to learn. But I do like the new portrait a lot more. And that is a good thing!
I took two paintings to the juried exhibition at the Sketch Club today - my Night Bus and a painting of cloves from a year ago. But from the other submissions I saw when I took my in, the competition is FIERCE, and they'd already received over 160 submissions. This, on the first morning of the submission dates. I will be very fortunate indeed if anything of mine is part of this exhibition.
Anyway, the model last night was one that I had painted before, just about a year ago, in Ted Xaras' class on Portraiture. At that time we were trying to work very carefully, and I was feeling even more a novice than I feel now. So I was glad for the chance to paint her again to see if the year has made any difference. This time I was rushed - knew that I had only about an hour and a half to complete the portrait - and lately I am trying to work much more loosely. I was working on a much smaller canvas this time. Still, the comparison is really interesting.
So:
2008: 24" x 20", oil on canvasboard
2009: 10" x 8", oil on canvasboard
2009: 10" x 8", oil on canvasboard
I didn't realize until I got the small portrait home that not only was I painting her from the same angle (I'd gotten to the session late, and this was the only position I could take), but look: even the lighting was essentially the same. And without realizing it, I chose a very similar background color.
Bottom line? In both portraits, there is stuff that I like, and I still have an awful lot to learn. But I do like the new portrait a lot more. And that is a good thing!
I took two paintings to the juried exhibition at the Sketch Club today - my Night Bus and a painting of cloves from a year ago. But from the other submissions I saw when I took my in, the competition is FIERCE, and they'd already received over 160 submissions. This, on the first morning of the submission dates. I will be very fortunate indeed if anything of mine is part of this exhibition.
