"Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul." Vincent Van Gogh

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Life Drawing with Martha Voyevidka and Some Portrait Studies

Professor Peter Higgs - oil on masonite 8x10

Marie Curie - oil on canvas 8x8

Dr. Francis Crick - oil on canvas 14x11

Ballerinas have been giving me some trouble lately so I am taking a break for a while. And so I busied myself by doing a a few quick portrait studies of prize winning physicists - just for fun! Professor Peter Higgs is a British scientist known for developing a theory that gravity is carried by a subatomic particle - and the CERN reactor experiments are now geared toward trying to find this particle to prove him right. As you may have suspected, I am fascinated by this! The portrait of Marie Curie and was done from a small black and white photo. I really don't think her hair was red but it very definitely is in my portrait. She was the first woman to win a Noble Prize and the only woman to have won 2 Nobel Prizes in 2 different categories - physics and chemistry. And last is Nobel Prize winner Dr. Francis Crick one of the scientists to discover the famous double helix structure of DNA. I actually had the honor of working with Dr. Crick for a short time several years ago when he was in his 80's and still working at the Salk Institute in San Diego.

I have also been attending Thursday morning life drawing sessions. The following 3 selections are all ebony on newsprint, about 40 minutes each. I am most pleased with the final reclining piece. Looking at them here makes me aware that I need to work on shading and values.

Thank you all for taking a look! :)



24 comments:

  1. Susan, I really like your style and your drawings!

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    1. Thanks you, Maike. I love life drawing - there is nothing equal to having the subject in front of you and trying to capture all the nuances of light and form. My last session is this Thursday and I will surely miss going.

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  2. Is it wrong that my favorite part is the alphabet letters behind Prof Higgs??? Nice touch.

    I like it all and yes a bit more force on those darks at figure drawing class would be an improvement.

    Susan, lovely work as always!

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    1. Thanks for your encouragement! I missed a class as I had to do some traveling and it was like starting from scratch again!

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  3. Susan, I love the portraits of Higgs and Crick. I am also fascinated by the work being done in quantum physics and cosmology. WOW ... you worked with Francis Crick??? Very cool!

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    1. Hi, Kathryn - I read everything to do with quantum physics that I can get my hands on! That is, everything that is written for the lay person! I also had the extreme honor of working with Dr, George Palade - the Nobel Prize winning Father of Microbiology! I have yet to do a successful portrait of Dr. Palade :(.

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  4. Many thanks, Maike - I really love life drawing and wish I could do more of it.
    Hi, Susan - I appreciate your thoughts! I wanted Professor Higgs to be in front of his blackboard - thanks for noticing.
    Hi, Kathryn, it was a great experience for me!

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  5. What and interesting post. I'm totally in awe of someone who can produce three quick portraits like these - so full of character. Totally brilliant.

    The drawings have a wow factor too - remember I can only go in straight lines...tea towels notwithstanding

    Incidentally, the company I was running in Somerset UK, designed a lot of the (trace) heating for the particle accelerator at CERN.

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind comments, John. You are a wizard at pen and ink so I do appreciate and value your opinion. What a thrill for youto be associated with the particle accelerator. I am awaiting the news on the Higgs Boson with bated breath!

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  6. You painted some important people here , and you did it wonderfully, I wish I could make oil portraits like this in 'quick portrait studies'...to me it takes ages, and the result is never like this :-(( The sketches are fabulous, what a hand!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jane. I love doing portraits - its always a thrill to capture a likeness. I found it takes lots and lots and lots of practice - and then more practice!

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  7. Ciao, wonderful portraits, they have life and thoughts and is very interesting that you choose such people! They are speaking and explaining their theories to everybody looks their faces!
    Anyway I hope you reconcile fast with ballerinas because I find your subjects fantastic!
    Ciao, ciao, Floriana

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    1. Many thanks, Floriana. My ballerinas seen to have all gone on vacation at once and I have moved on to other thigns. Perhaps they will come back - I will have to wait and see - lol!

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  8. Fantastic work, Susan. I especially love the first one..Professor Peter Higgs!! The brush work is wonderful. I hope to see the ballerina's soon!! I'm hooked.

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    1. Thanks, Hilda - I like the cropped composition of Dr. Higgs. I just stopped by your bog and was quite impressed with your mother/child portrait. Its so very sensitive.

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  9. Amazing portraits and fabulous sketches! I like red haired Marie Curie!

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  10. Can't access your latest post, Susan - it says the page doesn't exist

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  11. Wow! Fantabulous work! That top portrait is absolutely perfect! I like the soft pink that you added. Wonderful job.

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    1. Many thanks, Nora. I so love doing portraits.

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  12. Nice portraits-Marie Curie is my favorite but all 3 are super. It's wonderful to see your life drawings. I think life drawing is so challenging. All three have a sensitivity to them.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Stephanie. There is nothing quite like the immediate thrill of life drawing. I wish I could do it every day!

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  13. Very beautiful portraits, wonderful job, :)
    The sketches are very nice, congratulations.

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    1. Thank you so much, Mari Jose - your words are greatly appreciated!

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Your comments are welcome and brighten my day!