Today my goal was to do a loose, expressive portrait and, as the contemporary painter Alex Katz is having a grand exhibit this month, I thought I would try my hand at him. I admit that I am not a big fan of his paintings but I study them nonetheless and have found much to admire in his large scale, interesting compositions and controlled use of color. This alla prima portrait is 16x12 oil on canvas board. It feels finished at this stage even though the clothing remains unpainted. I have included a close up of a portion of the face so the brushwork is more apparent.
Alex Katz was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1927 and his prolific career spans an incredible six decades. He currently has a major exhibition at Turner Contemporary which brings together a selection of his works from the 1950s to now, including paintings, collages and a 3D cut-out.
Excellent.
ReplyDeleteUnfinished clothes adds focus and depth to the face. Actually I did not notice, all attention went to the face. Great work.
And thank you for Alex Katz, I go googling him now.
Yes, I agree - the unfinished portion directs the viewer to the face. Thank you for mentioning that, Irina. There is much to admire about Alex Katz. His style is so crisp and clear.
DeleteLooks like he is not my hero, I like more movement and emotions in art. But who am I to judge?? Knowledge widens the world.
DeleteSusan ... I can't keep up with you. First welcome back, glad you enjoyed your Florida break.
ReplyDeleteI loved the humour in your last post "... the field of ballet, in which the big dog laughed to see such fun, and the horse ran away with Miss Bloom"
I am always at a loss to find something to say that will adequately express my admiration for your portraiture ... totally brilliant
Oh, John your creativity with words is just wonderful! I can imagine us collaborating on a childrens' book some day.:O The portrait is a little better than the photo reveals and I am quite pleased with it. It seemed to flow off the brush somewhat effortlessly.
DeleteYour portraits are fabulous, Susan! And I love your ballerina and horse paintings!
ReplyDeleteI really love doing portraits, Judy. Thanks for your kind words! :)
DeleteWell this is just fabulous! I love those wonderful textural marks you have made. The background could almost be a palette knife painting! I also use canvas boards. I prefer them to stretched canvas and they feel so much more sturdy :0)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra. I changed over to boards years ago when I realized how much space stretched canvas takes up - and I am rather prolific! I also really do prefer a firm surface so now I alternate between canvas and linen on board. They are easier to frame as well!
DeleteSuch character you have captured in his face! Wonderful, Susan!!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to know why but sometimes portraits work better than others. I was excited to do this one and I think that my own inner feelings often have a huge impact on how well the piece flows. Thanks so much for your nice comment!
DeleteI'm not too fond of his work either - too flat. But you sure did a great job on his face - and I know it's harder to work from a photo than life. NICE JOB!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Debbie - I always enjoy visiting your blog. You paint horses and cattle so wonderfully!
DeleteI admire the simplicity of his work. It's clean. It's great composition. It's not fussy. It has a snapshot appeal that perfect for acrylics, a slice of life. Splash is a fantastic painting. Every time I see a sprinkler I think of him. I dislike the man who charges so much, too much for books on his work. I keep putting him in my shopping cart and then deleting him. Isn't he rich enough?
ReplyDeleteI do like your alla prima portrait. It's wonderful; he doesn't look at all like I imagined.
Oh, my gosh, I know what you mean. I have learned to buy all of my art books second hand from Amazon and have not been displeased. I recently ordered "The Shock of the New" by the Australian art critic Robert Hughes. Its a fascinatingly written history of the last 100 years of modern art with numerous color and black and white plates. The book was a wee bit beat up but not too bad but I would never have paid the new price. I was luckier when I ordered a used copy of "Raphael to Renoir - Drawings from the Collection of Jean Bonna". It arrived in brand new condition at a minial price. Even used, Richard Schmid's books are too pricey for me - perhaps in another decade or so I might be able to afford them!
DeleteHeel mooi geschilderd hoor !
ReplyDeletegroetjes,
Simonne
Many thanks, Simmone. I like to paint loosely and must work hard to retain the likeness and character.
DeleteBravo Susan.
ReplyDeleteNot much to say because this painting "speaks for itself" and it says volumes.
You are so very talented. Thank you for posting for all to enjoy.
Your art buddy,
Michael
Many thanks, Michael - I greatly appreciate your support :).
Deletethis is an incredible portrait, Susan. I love the looseness of this piece..love the closeup shot so we can really see it! shadowing and color is perfect!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hilda - I am constant in my attempts to retain a close likeness while staying loose. It's so amazing to me how my tendency is to paint tightly and I have to keep fighting myself to retain freshness and vigor of brushwork.
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