Gustave Courbet painted his dramatic self-portrait very early in his career. My copy (from an 81/2"x10" reproduction of the original painting), posted here, is on cardboard in oil paint. The original is astonishingly good--and also astonishing because apparently Johnny Depp has a look-alike in another time and place. (Great jumping off place for a science fiction story).As general matter, I learned a lot by copying the work of others. This (finding something you liked and copying it in grays in the same size as the original) was an assignment in Ron Llanos' painting class at Art Center at Night. (If you're curious about Ron's critique, he thought it was okay, except for the whites of the eyes, which I made too white. He was absolutely correct. I didn't go back and change the painting, so the error is still visible.)
In museums, I often see students copying the masters. I always peek at their work, and they don't seem to mind.
ReplyDeleteI have some questions about what you see when you draw...
Ask and I'll do my best to answer.
ReplyDeleteAs a general matter, I think that I see very little when I draw--not for example, an entire person or an entire nose or an entire eye, but just how a particular edge looks, or just the shape that part makes against another part.
That's an excellent exercise - and you did a wonderful job with it. On my monitor the whites don't look too white, but I'll believe your teacher if you say he's right!
ReplyDeleteHe's right technically. I liked my version better, so I left it alone, even though it isn't accurate or as realistic as the original. But I'm pretty much about embracing imperfection and accident.
ReplyDeleteOops--along with big doses of perfectionism (definitely a mixed bag).
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment, casey. Although I loved painting on cardboard (the support is so soft and nicer in many ways than any other support I have tried), having the painting on something less flimsy would have been nice.
I love this, Jean. I even like the white whites... makes him seem even more mad.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it has taken me so long to visit your blog. Wow, what a treasure here.
Thank you, Laurie. I'm glad you like it. I'm having fun doing it.
ReplyDelete