I had the good fortune to spend another studio session with Suchitra Bhosle a week ago. I've posted about painting with Suchitra before, so I won't go into it again, except to say that it is always a challenging and energizing experience. Once again, I felt a bit like a child with his first finger paint set, except I wasn't nearly so free and unconstrained! Values, values, values. I learn a bit more each time about values.
My painting of the model was not especially good. When I started, I felt that I was on the right track, but time was short. For some reason, after about an hour, I felt completely lost. The drawing felt completely out of control, and I realized my mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. Once again I wiped my canvas down and determined to start again. I'm not any more comfortable doing that than I have ever been - it always feels like defeat to me - but I've begun to realize that if I do not have a plan and if I am not careful and methodical in the beginning, there is very little likelihood of rescuing the painting no matter how long I dabble and poke at it. Better to wipe it down and THINK. Anyway, the remaining time wasn't enough to take the painting to any level of finish and I left with yet another panel to pile up in a stack somethere.
After letting it sit for a week, I decided to see if I could bring the painting to a higher degree of finish and at the same time, identify and work through some of the problems I had left unresolved. Fortunately I'd taken some pictures at the very end of the session, so I had important reference material as a guide.
This is Suchitra's model #2 (of course, I've forgotten her name!). I would guess that there is about five hours total in this small canvas, counting the 1 1/2 - 2 hours spent in the studio session. I feel that I learned a lot by finishing up this portrait and I have a much nicer feeling of completion.
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| Suchitra's Model #2 Oil on 12" x 9" panel |
My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art
Bruce, You are amazing and I love reading your blog. You seem to get out there and paint what ever is in front of you and you do it so well. I do like this painting very much. i am trying to read her face and decide what she is thinking? Lovely portrait. Does this one have a name?
ReplyDeleteThank you Ruth! I've forgotten the young lady's name. It seems to be on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't quite get it. This was her first modeling session. She did a good job, but I don't think she enjoyed it much. For most of the session her eyes were closed and her head was tipped slightly forward. It was only in the reference photo that I saw her eyes open and I painted them that way in the final version. She does seem lost in thought, doesn't she.
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