Classical Sculpture Studies

Quick 3-5 studies from a drawing session at the Archaeology Institute.

On the easel: Marguerite

Oil on canvas, 60 x 120 cms

Interview with Justin Mortimer

It’s completely instinctual. It’s painting by the seat of your pants. As we have talked about in the studio, maybe not now. When I’m composing ideas for pictures I roughly sketch them out on the computer. I scan images, I collect all the data that I have on my hard drive, image databases, from scans of cats, to wedding cakes, limbs, background photographs that I’ve taken on holiday. Through the process of using the computer you can come out with a very realized image very quickly making it a very seductive process. But it’s up to me to translate that to a piece of work from that digital image. I certainly become very seduced by the sort of pseudo realities that can be made in Photoshop. So when I start painting I very quickly see holes and problems in the image and also how banal that image is. It’s up to me to bring something in with the use of paint. As I make the image, the painting starts to dictate the image so I move away from the initial source that I made on the computer. In fact, I often make the image on the computer, begin the painting, see the problems or the good things, and go back to the computer to redraft that image, scale it up, and reimpose that onto the image again. So my pictures are quite fragmented looking because it’s often a combination of six different images all part of the same thing. I’m constantly looking for those serendipitous clashes with the first layer doing something interesting with the top layer. It dictates itself, it has its own volition, which is a completely different process from when you are working on the computer.

- Taken from an interview with Justin Mortimer on ArtSlant.

Justin Mortimer on the Queen's Portrait

I was commissioned to paint the Queen in 1997 by The Royal Society for the Arts. I didn’t paint her from life – although a special room at Buckingham Palace is set up for artists complete with throne on a dais, old easel, even paintbrush holder – but I had two 2 hour sittings with her and did lots of sketches and took photos and Polaroids.

Previously I was invited to meet the head of the Queen’s Wardrobe to choose an outfit for the commission.

The painting I made was very controversial because I separated her head from her body. The media went quite crazy and some came up with headlines along the lines of “Off with Her Head!” etc etc! There was even a poll on national TV news asking viewers to rate the painting – 87% slated it. The press in some commonwealth countries went crazy about it too and I was interviewed for Canadian and Australian radio. In fact a lot of the hate mail I received came from these places and surprisingly America – ‘Why do you Brits hate your Royals so much?’.

Interestingly though, the Queen’s equerry Sir Robert Janvrin had an opposite reaction when he first saw the painting in my studio; bearing in mind the commission happened just when the public were outraged at the Palace’s treatment of Princess Diana, he said that a strong, modern representation was exactly right at a time when they were seeking to modernize the Queen’s image

The Queen of course had no idea how I was going to paint her and what’s more made no comment when the painting was unveiled (she never comments on the portraits made of her) – however she did go on to commission me personally to paint her Lord Chamberlain for the Royal Collection and I’ve wondered sometimes if maybe she didn’t like him very much.

The first sitting was pretty tense and I found it hard to focus on my drawing – she sat very formally (like a Queen) in her chair and was chatting non-stop to her equerry.

The second sitting was a more relaxed affair; I felt able to direct her and got her to walk around and twist and move in the seat while I took photographs. I got pretty close shooting off Polaroids and when I stepped back a whole pile had ejected into her lap.

This time, we even talked. She was funny. We looked out the window together at the tourists on the Mall looking in. I don’t remember drinking tea.



- From Justin Mortimer's official website.

Family Study

Pencil on paper

Pizol Snow

Watercolour and pencil on paper.

Explosion

Oil on canvas.

Didi

Oil on canvas, 60 x 120 cms.

Poor Goose

A quick sketch at Zurich's Archaeological Institute, which is a highly recommended for it's outstanding collection of classical sculptures (mostly copies) all tucked away in a quiet basement.

You'll find more resources for artists, including Zurich-based life drawing sessions, by clicking here.

Jon Foster

This image by Jon Foster is great for the way it slowly reveals a story by using unusual cropping.



You'll probably first notice the passengers expression followed by details, such as the engines heat exhaust and the flapping t-shirt, which suggest the vehicle is moving. The last details to be noticed may be the vehicles in pursuit.

Edith: Portrait Study for Larger Painting

Oil on primed card

Alex Kanevsky, On Being An Artist

What inspires you?
...[The] naive artist works with first-hand experiences, uncompromised by self-analysis. Sentimental are works that are self-aware of their place in history, theory, etc. One usually sees this kind of work accompanied by an artist statement. I think I am more naive than sentimental in the things that inspire me.

What would you say to an artist just starting out?
Build up your self esteem to the level that might seem unwarranted. This will help you to ignore both positive and negative responses to your paintings. Both are usually misguided, since they come from the outside. Be your most severe and devastating critic, while never doubting that you are the best thing since sliced bread.

The moment something works well and is under control - is the time to give it up and try something else.

Put all your eggs in one basket. Precarious situations produce intense results.

Forget subjective, it is mostly trivial. Go for the universal.

- Extracts from an interview with Alex Kanevsky conducted by Vivianite

NOTES: On starting a new painting

Paint your underpainting or prep-sketch as quickly as possible whilst you're inspired and have a feeling for the subject. Everything can later be refined or subdued if necessary but the overall effect should be captured in the moment for the whole work to hold together.

Alla Prima (First Stroke) Painting

[John Howard Sanden] admits to not being perfect with the technique; where in theory you look at the model, look at your palette, load your brush, look back at the model, and then place the brushstroke on the canvas. His ten tips for the process were: (1) start with a toned canvas; (2) draw with your brush; (3) the 1st stroke is the final stroke; (4) base your marks on observation alone (not what you think it should look like); (5) every stroke counts; (6) use the largest brush possible; (7) work with speed & finish in 1 session; (8) every stroke is a drawing stroke; (9) tonal judgements are the most important; and (10) be deliberate and decisive.
- Notes from AndrewWerth.com taken at the 2008 Portrait Society of America Conference

Interview on World Radio Switzerland

You can hear a radio interview with me on World Radio Switzerland's weekly Swiss by Design program. I share my views with Jennifer Davies on how developments in the long history of the fine arts have come to shape the modern visual language and how I see the discipline of oil painting in its contemporary context.