Four quick oil portrait sketches - practicing skin tones and trying hard to capture, age, expression and character. Quite a challenge!
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| Making maximum use of my painting support! |
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| A closer look at the female sketch as I was happier with this one. |
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| 12 x 16 oil on linen |
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| 8 x 10 oil on corrugated cardboard |
My husband and I just got back from a short trip to Palo Alto, California, where we were lucky enough to visit the Cantor Museum of Art on the campus of Stanford University. This is our third trip there and on this visit I fell in love with a Picasso oil portrait (also done on cardboard titled Courtesan with Hat from 1900). She was so lovely that I spent a long time admiring her beauty and the absolute elegance of the execution of this little masterpiece. What a joy to see it!
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| Courtesan with Hat oil on cardboard Picasso 1900 |
In certain areas of this painting you can see the original brown cardboard peeking through and I found myself wondering if Picasso (and others like Toulouse Lautrec and Degas who also painted on cardboard) used any kind of sealant. I searched the internet and could not find out what their techniques may have been other than the use of oil paint thinned with mineral spirits. The information that I did find recommended using either gesso or PVA glue to seal the cardboard prior to painting to decrease absorbency and prevent warping. I wonder if anyone else has experience using cardboard as an oil painting support?
Bonjour ma chère Susan,
ReplyDeleteJ'étais très heureuse de te lire, comme je suis très heureuse de découvrir ton dernier billet. J'irai sitôt après mon petit commentaire admirer les précédents !
Cette série de portraits est juste superbe... Ils ont non seulement ton écriture mais une âme, une authenticité... Les nuances de couleurs sont exceptionnelles.
J'admire également la force que tu as de leur attribuer leur âge. C'est une chose pas simple du tout et tu y parviens admirablement.
Une petite question... Pour toi, qu'est-ce qui est le plus difficile, peindre un portrait d'adulte ou celui d'un enfant ou d'un bébé ?
C'est toujours un réel plaisir que de me retrouver dans ton univers.
A bientôt,
Gros bisous,
Martine
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. They mean a lot to me. To answer your question, I think that trying to capture the youth and innocence of children is always a major challenge. But, of course, I find all portraiture to be very challenging!
DeleteYour portraits are fabulous, full of character!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Judy - every one is a learning experience.
Deleteawesome!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Ashok - and many thanks for stopping by my site!
DeleteYour portraits are filled with personality, fresh and spontaneous, love them ! I often paint on cardboard and always use acrylic as a base to decrease absorbency. So far it has worked.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jane. Many sites seemed to imply that the use of cardboard would be too impermanent - but Picasso, Degas and Lautrec - their pieces have been around for a very long time!
DeleteYour portraits are OUTSTANDING Susan. I love the looseness that I can never achieve. Awesome skin tones... The Picasso is wonderful...I don't ever remember seeing this painting.
ReplyDeleteI hope to see more portraits, Susan...you're good!!!!!
So happy you like them! Looseness is something I struggle with - it seems that my tendency is to become tighter and tighter. I have to stay vigilant if I want to avoid that!
DeleteI just love your delightful portraits. There is a joy coming from inside each one. The brushstrokes, expressions and colors all form a delightful whole. You paint how I dream of painting. Fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to say, Carol - you make me happy!
DeleteDag Susan, je portretten zijn allemaal heel bijzonder, ik zie er steeds verschillende karaktertrekken in.
ReplyDeletegoetjes van Simonne
And finding those traits in portraiture is what makes it so fascinating and always a challenge! Thank you, Simonne!
DeletePleased to meet you, Susan! Your portraits send strong messages. Also, your medium, oil interests me, as I'm a watercolourist. I admire your skills. Lovely!! Keep up your wonderful work. Best wishes, Sadami
ReplyDeleteAnd very pleased to meet you, Sadami. I browsed through your site and am very impressed with your work - you are so accomplished! Congratulations on receiving the NSW accessible Arts grant! How exciting - I wish you great success!
DeleteOh, thank you very much, Susan. I'm only a beginner. Please guide me. Your work, drawing and subjects fascinate me. Amazing. This year, I've got Australia Council of Arts Grant = Australian Gov grant. In 2015, I got NSW Accessible Arts grant. I will do my best to create a picture book with celebrated author, Libby Hathorn. I'll do my best. I heartily hope your success, too. Cheers, best wishes, Sadami
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