Wednesday, August 5, 2009

More figure work

Still 11x14.
At Rest 11x14.


These are the latest from my figure works. I started with the figure as my new subject for this summer. Still working with a very limited palette on these. Both of these are in oils this time around. The At Rest piece has a very heavy texture base which was fun to work on. For the texture I used acrylic heavy gel medium on a toned board then painted in the figure with thin layers of oils.

4 comments:

Brenda Boylan said...

Don, this lounging figure is really spectacular. I'm amazed at your accuracy of figure painting. What would take me weeks to paint what takes you just a few hours. It's a truly beautiful piece.

Don Bishop said...

Well a couple things on this B. I do my figures from photo shoots I have recently done. This took a bit more than a few hours but not weeks and weeks because I projected the photo onto my board for a quick layout sketch of the piece. I think having a ten minute layout sketch of the figure that is accurate saves a lot of hardship during the painting process. I didn't want to spend a week drawing out the piece, I wanted to spend my time painting.

I know a lot of people have the "oh that's not real art" thing about using new tools for their paintings but I personally don't buy into that. I use my computer, digital camera, projector and ANYTHING else that helps me paint. Some of the old masters would have use these tools if they had them when they were painting so I don't see why we shouldn't.

Thanks for the comments. I am working on some more of these and post them as I finish them. And at some point I am going to have to take the plunge and do some larger ones. I just wanted to get a few small ones finished first.

Don B : )

Celeste Bergin said...

Hi Don, I was interested in your viewpoint on projection. I agree with you a thousand percent (despite the fact that I don't use it). They reason I agree so heartily is because I worked with illustrators for years--those guys could draw anything but they projected as a time saving measure--just as you've stated here. The problem with projection is that some people who can't draw use it as a crutch. People who can draw are simply using it as a tool (as you've stated). It is an interesting debate that will certainly rage on forever. I'm glad I worked with those illustrators because I saw first hand how projection is not the devil. lol. Your paintings are fantastic--hope to see some of your figure paintings in person one day!

Don Bishop said...

Your are so right Celeste, it is a time saver. Some of the old masters used grids to enlarge and layout their paintings as well as those mirror glass reflector boxes. If they had computers and projectors back then, I have no doubts that they would be all over those tools.

For me I just don't have the time to take a week doing the drawing . I would rather spend it painting, I have too much to learn in paint alone!

-D : )