Painting Gestures

Recently, I've been on the look out for poses with dynamic gestures to paint. Previously, my prerequisite for choosing a pose to work on was that I had to be able to include the model's face. This particular piece, however, includes both requirements - from this 3/4 view, the model's right arm forms an "S" curve which flows through the right leg. This is a three 25-minute sitting. 

Within the first block, I had managed to capture the gesture and placed a generic skin tone throughout this 35cm figure. 

During the 2nd block of 25 minutes, I focused on the model's torso and arm. There was a little more time, so I worked on her facial features. 

During the final segment of the session, I worked briefly on the lower part of the figure and then went back up to further tighten up the model's features and torso, keeping in mind that the torso will look more rendered than the bottom half of the figure. 

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If you are interested in getting my sketchbook of short poses, Figuring Out - the long and short of it, the link is right here:
https://www.booksactuallyshop.com/products/figuring-out-the-long-and-short-of-it

Behind the art - Becky's Arm

This is the final cast I studied on before moving to the still-life series.  For this project, I added drapery and a chain for that extra bit of challenge that will aid in the understanding while working on my future still-life projects. 4 weeks were spent on the project with the 1st two weeks doing it up to first painting stage and the last two weeks on 2nd painting. 

 Gesture of the arm is sketched out using raw umber on a grey value #3 campitura.

  Once the big shapes are down, details are added onto the canvas.

  Dead colouring or graphic colouring is up next. Cadmium Red and Alizarin Crimson are introduced to my limited palette of black, white, raw umber and cadmium orange (Old Holland).

Big form modelling is applied to the arm and drapery.

 1st painting adds rough basic planes to sub-divide the big form modelling but at the same time maintaining it. Hints of the chain is also also suggested.

Finally, every single muscle of the arm is being brought to a fine finish in 2nd painting where the sub forms are further broken into sub-sub forms. Background drapery is tidied up giving the piece a high finished look. 

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