I decided to break things up a little and use different paper for this piece. It is 11×17 Tan multi-media paper. I was very pleased with the results.
The Pugilist (selfie) 11×17 Tan paper & watercolors
Tag: selfie
Whammer (Selfie)
Finished my painting. I had actually done a study for it beforehand which is not my usual way of working.
A bunch of us used to sit around and play games which were tied in with the life of being an artist. One was: describe your technique or mission in one sentence. For me it has always been “The gooniness of flesh”.
I want to show the heat generated by the flesh, the blood coursing below the surface, the splotches, the bruises.
Probably couched in grandeur terms, this was one aspect of the power of the work by the tronie painters as well as the mannerists painters. Even Jenny Saville’s earlier work has elements of this beauty and power.
I often do self portraits as showing myself as I am does not offend nor disappoint me as it may were it someone else emerging from my brush.
It is a truth and truth for me is always beautiful.
It is 11×17 Watercolor on tan paper.
Quick Sketch Study
Always looking for interesting things to draw/paint. Email me if you think you have something.
Going Under
When I first started seriously painting, I used a French cotton paper. I did not realize it at the time, but it is far less forgiving than the paper which I currently use (which is non-cotton).
I made the switch when the already up there price raised even more. There was much experimentation before I found the paper which became my main one.
In cleaning my tabouret draws, I came upon an unopened block of French Cotton paper. As my skill has increased from when I originally had used it, I was interested to see what I could do with it now.
My preference with cotton paper had always been cold pressed, but even with this, there is more tooth to the paper than what I currently use. This gives a sort of chunky effect when portraying flesh, watercolor impasto.
I enjoyed using this paper and I will work my way through the block but to my surprise I now prefer my current non-cotton paper. The cotton paper does not blend as easy, so getting effects I want with cotton paper will now make it “easier” with my preferred paper.
5×7 Watercolor & cotton Paper
Selfie @ Airport
In-between bouts of atmospheric river storms I was able to hit the road. Although not with the same ferocity as at home, the rain followed me. This was OK as it was a short trip and I had already envisioned only having time to do my nightly woodshedding sketches and maybe a lyra piece or two.
I was to be flying home into yet another storm! My flight was delayed most of the afternoon. I sat at the terminal becoming newly crowned crossword king.
While sending out texts to everyone to let them know that I was delayed but all right, I snapped a quick selfie.
Lately a lot of my painting have been on tan paper and 11×17. This piece is white Canson paper 5×7
Victory
I do not often paint large pieces. There’s a completely different physicality involved. The way I have always worked, when I see a piece in my head before starting out, included in this vision/conception is its size. If I envision it small, it’s not merely a matter of using larger paper to make it big. I can only make a thing as I saw it in my head.
With Victory I saw it big.
I enjoy the challenge of leaving my comfort zone. Most of my paintings are 11×17, this one would be 20×30. I have a large wooden easel. It has heavy brass machinery. I pull on a loop below the ledge upon which the canvas sits to raise or lower it on the wooden axis. There is a wooden crossbar on the bottom which connects the two front legs of the large tripod.
While painting the lower section of the piece, I sit on a stool leaning forward. My feet rest on the crossbar. It feels as if I am on a ship, brush in hand. Seas calm, seas stormy, call me Ishmael.
Victory 20×30 inches watercolor & Paper
Paris Painter 4 : Like Sonny
Lyra water soluble graphite sticks have become one of my favorite mediums. That with a brush and pocket pad and i can do painterly pieces even when sitting at a cafe table. And I need not sprawl out taking over the table. I am also able to maintain discretion as I would hate to be like one of those people stateside who feel it necessary to go to Starbucks to show everyone that they are “writing”.
Aside from fully realized works, i continue to woodshed, hands, feet, whatever is in front of me. It is akin to a musician practicing scales. Both Renoir and Matisse when in the twilight of their years said something along the lines of it being a shame that they did not have a few more years left as they both felt that they were finally starting to get it. Coltrane before and after a concert or recording session would still put in time practicing. This has been my overall approach too. Regardless of how my day is spent, an hour or two at night woodshedding.
I do not go for the outwardly dramatic thing in my sketching. I let the organic truth of whatever the thing is create the emotion. A sort of raw reportage without any preconceived agenda. All pieces are either 3×5 pocket pad or 4×4 pocket pad. My 3×5 pad has circled the globe with me more ties than I can count and is always besides my bed or in my pocket during the day no matter where I am in the world.
Paint It Britain
I was very pleased that for January 26 my painting “(Self Portrait) Black Eye” was chosen by Paint It Britain as their painting of the day. It is 5.5×8.5 Watercolor & Paper.
End of Year
Last drawing of ’19. New Year’s Eve.
“You cool?”
“I’m cool baby.”
“Cool??”
“Like Miles at the Isle Wight Festival.”
The sirens screamed but now it was not a song for me.
W.Wolfson’19
9×12 Quick sketch
Birthday
“Let It Bleed” cake, drinks, art, music and some self portraits, uneasy jet travel
Self portrait “At the Party” 9×12
Me I
There is an age old tradition of the artist doing self portraits. Some consider the value of such a work as offering psychological insight into the artist via how they see themselves/how they are presenting themselves to the world.
Often, I am my own subject. With all my portraits I go for a sort of visual raw reportage, presenting the subject as they are for better or worse.
For this reason when I am my own subject, I might be sidestepping the issue entirely. Or the fact that, here I present myself as I am but with the batman mask of a hood could still be a revelation of its own.
Hooded 9×12 graphite & paper
Paper Life Painting 