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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Give Me A Hand...365 Days of Drawing.



This hand is growing on me. The block-in counted for my drawing challenge for yesterday.

Hands are good to study. This was painted from the model in my teaching class yesterday. It is not perfect, the hands moved a bit as models do and the angle was awkward but worth the short exercise.

The class hand-out was of course about hands, how to block them in, and the model 'set-up' designed to showcase hands, one nestling a champagne glass, the other holding pink satin. Just like I usually do in my day to day life.

I love painting hands in portraits. They are not always the easiest. I find an artist's treatment of hands in a painting separate the men from the boys. Hands-down, Sargent is one of the best to study for hands and I have to hand it to my mentor, Everett Raymond Kinstler. N.A., because his painted hands are pretty dandy too. I also like Philip De Laszlo's hands.

George Bridgeman's book "100 Hands" is still my favorite, and one I pull out regularly.

I took 3 books about hands in for my class but few students really looked at them or the my hand demo. I wonder why? I know my hand demo wasn't the best but people seem to want to hand-off the painting of hands in their paintings. Like Gainsborough's painting assistant specializing in just hands will walk into the room

So you can give me a hand for trying this. I was really glad I did it and plan to do more.

My french photo of the day: some genuine french hands eating a baguette. Or should I say holding?




2 comments:

Shelley Wendland said...

Hi, okay, your hand came out nice! (Or is nice too lame a word?) In our classes defense, we didn't have much time in class to admire your draw-in, and I wasn't doing hands at all -- not really avoiding them anymore than I avoid doing the whole figure.... LOL

Shelley

Johanna Spinks said...

HI Shelley:

Thanks for feedback. Time is indeed short in the class. I always hope people will look at books etc. I bring at break, or what I have been doing between 'talk' instruction. I know I go crazy to look at other artist's books. What inspires them. Which book do I need to buy next. Ha.

There was not that much to 'admire' in this hand for sure but there was a learning lesson in it. The five value system I use around the form principle, placed in a hand.

The good news is we have another session with this model. I like doing two sittings. Don't you? I will bring both my hands in.

And you did a great study in class.