Boldini and Sargent were neck and neck in terms of talent and what they able to do with a ordinary mortal's neck.They painted the longest most asssured graceful necks ever.
I had this in mind for yesterday's drawing in my 365 Days of Drawing Challenge.
I found an old photo I rather liked. She had an elegant swan-like neck in the photo but I ended up with more of a duck's. I was thinking of Boldini's elongated almost impossilbly distorted 'fashion designer drawing" necks, see photo here. How did he get away with those? Or Sargent's ever so simplified and ever so assured ones. He knew exactly what to leave out.
I sat in The Met one evening last year just looking at a Sargent neck for ages after my mentor, the esteemable Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A., had suggested the study of necks that day in his workshop at The National Academy of Design which is very conveniently right by The Met. I saw what he meant and have had the deepest respect for a Sargent neck, and a Kinstler neck, ever since.
So I bring my neck home last night from the studio, the drawn one at least, and my husband says "It's too long". He never usually says anything so I need to listen.
Hence more time trying to make it look right at breakneck speed so I could eat dinner.
I will never be a Sargent, Kinstler or Boldini but I can get better at drawing necks. TSimplifying their complicated anatomy and pushing the elegant gesture of it more.
Turn an ugly duckling into a swan.
I didn't manage it on this one.
Anyone out there into a bit of necking in the future? Of the drawing kind...of course.
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