Character, Outline, and Texture

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I'm working on many pieces simultaneously right now, using a variety of media. As always, I am studying--and hopefully growing as well. Three ongoing chases:

1. Character

2. Integrating outline

3. Texture

 The Night Walkers. Honore Daumier.

Daumier is one of my favorite artists. Three aspects (among others) strongly appeal to me: 

1. His characters

2. His use of outline
(Scientific studies have shown that the outlines in his oil paintings are either lithographic crayon or charcoal.)

3. His use of texture.

Recently I've adopted him as my mentor.

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I'm continuing my life drawing practice with an eye on character.

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 St. Joseph the Worker (detail).
Just completed a commission in which I used both charcoal and black paint for the outline.

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And this work-in-progress is a study in character, outline, and texture. It's also prep-work for an upcoming project.

If I can produce a good painting and learn more in the process, it's been a good day. Thanks, Daumier!

And thank you--for stopping by!

More Sketching with Scarlet

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When artists say they are "self-taught", I've heard they mean they've not been to college or art school. And if that makes them feel superior, well they must need that. Still, the label is foolish and full of pretense; I am happy to learn from everything and everyone I can, and to acknowledge the debt.

 

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 As I wrote in a recent post*, lately I began sketching with a scarlet Colerase pencil--learning of the technique from a fellow illustrator. Even though too many Colerase pencils have those hard, gritty things within the lead core, they are wonderfully freeing when you find a good one. I can throw down a gesture with the red, and then go into it with graphite, pen, or both--whatever seems to work.

 

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Done quite a few years ago, this acrylic painting has the scarlet under-painting technique I learned from a fellow painter. It has the same effect as the Colerase pencil in a way; the red paint here adds flash and life to the work.

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Now I need to go back into the sketchbook and finish some of these.

If I was self-taught, I'd still be drawing and painting the way I did when I was four; with a number two pencil on bond paper, or dragging out the Sparkle-Paint set.

Thanks for reading!

*Recent Post