Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Man at the Museum (work in progress)

This is my start on a 12"x16" oil painting inspired in part by a recent visit to the Norton Simon Museum.

11 comments:

  1. Great contrast. It really gives the impression of a spotlight on the bust. Lots of mystery with the dark and light figures.

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  2. It's as if they're having a secret conversation. What has he said to upset her so?

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  3. I like that personal approach to art.

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  4. HOw do you do something like this? I'm assuming the man in the picture was not standing there posing. So how do you capture his essence? Ahhh...is this why you're always do those quick sketches? To get you ready for something like this?

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  5. Love it, both the contrast and the tension in the space between the two figures.

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  6. Nice little bit of narrative being set up. Also like the triangular shadow. Nice use of color in it

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  7. Right on caption, JS.
    In fact, they both look like works in process.

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  8. I love the subject! Artist captures art lover studying art. Beautiful

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  9. Thanks for stopping by, folks.

    Pasadena PIO, she really is upset in my painting--and likely to stay that way, though the actual bust is much happier and more coy in her pose.

    Actually, Margaret, unlike many museum-goers nowadays, who only care about the famous artists or works and ignore the rest, the man standing by this bust really was pretty much in this pose, transfixed by this particular work. I'm changing the bust much more than the man. But you're quite right: one sketches and sketches so that one can capture moments like this.

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  10. Thanks for the explanation. For a non-artist that is very interesting.

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