Prodigal Return

There are many reasons that I could list for not having drawn for years, but none are good enough - it's simply been too long.
In June I decided to head back to the studio and it was like coming back home, the cluttered studio with bits of canvas paper and old paint stained rags, the smell of charcoal, oil paint and turpentine, the noisy scratching of charcoal against paper against the backdrop of absolute silence from the artists.... these are the sights, smells and sounds that bring me home.

It's been a struggle, I'm desperately unhappy with what I've produced, but I know with time I'll remember how to draw...

The Prodigal Return

Charcoal on Paper 

June 2018

Prodigal definition is - characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure. 

(All that time wastefully spent away from the studio.)

 

A beautiful girl 

Charcoal on Paper

This is another drawing of my favourite model at the moment (you would have seen her in my last post over the shoulder)


I'm very happy with this drawing, even though it was never fully completed - the incompleteness of the drawing adds a certain charm.


How to buy this painting: How to buy a painting

Over the shoulder

Charcoal on paper 

This is a soft charcoal of one of my favourite models - Drawn during a life study session.

I was late for class and had to rush to get as much done as possible before the model packed up.

In total I had about an hour with this drawing.

 How to buy this painting: How to buy a painting

Guest Artist: Richard Harper

These are incredible!

AGNES 2004
Oil on canvas 26 ½ x 34 ½ inches 

CHRISTELLE 2008
Oil on canvas 17 ¼ x 37 inches

This level of perfection comes at a price though, a quote from Richard's biography:
"His works involve multi-layering of several very thin translucent coats of paint. On the figures it takes on the mechanics of constructing each layer of the skin itself and requires several months of painting. From conception to completion a painting may encompass several years of gestation."

Visit his site for more: www.richard-harper.com

May's Second Charcoal

Charcoal on Paper

This is the second charcoal I'm posting this month.
I think there is something (hopefully at least one thing) in each drawing that I fall in love with, in this drawing it's the fabric wrapped around her hips - I love the folds in the fabric and the way the light captures the folds.

At tea time someone said, about my drawing; "She looks cross."
The model, overhearing the comment, looked at my drawing and said; "No I don't, I look pretty!"
Gog bless her.

May's Charcoal

May's Charcoal
Seated Nude - Charcoal on Paper
(SOLD)

I have a massive feeling of accomplishment with this drawing.
Why? Because the model loved it to the point of wanting to buy it!

And I love the light on the hair falling down in front of her face.

May's Paintng

Small Seated Nude
Oil on Canvas Board

I tried to do this painting with the same feeling that I gave the Pink Bikini, but I ended up becoming too 'precious' about the damn thing.
I had to stop myself from carrying on, another 15 minutes of painting would have ruined it.

What do you think - Just right? Or do I need to do more work on it?

(My camera is on the blink, so this photo was taken on my Black Berry and will need to be updated when I have a working camera again.)

April's First Charcoal

March was not an inspiring month for me; I finished no paintings and my drawings turned on me.

When I tell people that I draw and paint the response is often, "Oh nice, that must be so relaxing."
To which I grimace and think to myself "bloody idiot!"

There is nothing relaxing about drawing or painting at the level that I attempt to, and there is no pleasure in it either, but there is enormous pleasure in having finished a piece, especially when it works.



April's started off much better than March - it felt good to have finished this drawing.

February's Charcoal

February's Nude
Charcoal

I'm really starting to love charcoal as a medium, but they're starting to stack up. I'm wondering if I should start selling them. Or maybe I should just give a few away...

Seated Nude - November 2010 - Charchoal on Paper

Seated Nude - November 2010 - Charcoal on Paper

It's been a while since I've posted a painting, recently it's been a lot of charcoal drawings and I am really enjoying it.


This photo was taken midway through the session (during a break). The finished drawing is still in the studio and I forgot to take a photo of it, but I like what it looks like halfway through, I'm almost sorry I spent more time on it.

Seated Nude - Charcoal on Paper

Seated Nude - Charcoal on Paper

We've had nowhere to draw for the last four weeks and last night we got together at one of the artist's house. Her upstairs area has not been used for a while so we moved in there with our lights easels and a model.

It took ages to set set up, but in the end it was a very successful evening.

Stephen Scott - Seated Nude - Charcoal on paper

Seated Nude
Charcoal on Paper

Our model was a beautiful blond girl. This was the first time she sat for any group and she sat fantastically. It was a absolute pleasure to work with her.

Stephen Scott - Seated Nude - Charcoal on paper

Seated Nude
Charcoal on paper

About a year ago I hated charcoal; it was an annoying medium - the charcoal refused to do anything I wanted it to... now I'm starting to understand.

The model was from Zimbabwe, but she's spent the majority of her life here in South Africa.

Seated nude for May 2010

Seated nude, May 2010
Painting in progress

A couple of week ago this young model posed for us for a once-off sitting - I did this charcoal sketch of her

We've asked her to com back for the last four weeks of the time we have in our current studio. I took the opportunity to start an oil painting - this is the result of the first session.

I took the whole session to draw and correct the drawing, my goal for the session was to have a drawing that is as accurate as I can make it. I am very happy with the result of this session.

Seated nude; charcoal on paper by Stephen Scott

Seated nude
charcoal on paper by Stephen Scott

Another week in the fantastic house with it's studio on the third floor!

It was the first week of winter for us - the studio was cold and impossible to heat up, our model huddled as close as possible to the heater during breaks, but during the pose she sat beautifully - the sign of a good model.

It's fascinating how the best models are also the smartest - our new girl has an honors degree in fine art and is currently working at the University of Cape Town.

Seated nude - charcoal on paper

Seated nude - Charcoal on paper

This is the first of three new models we're drawing this month. She did fantastically - this was the first time that she's ever posed and without a doubt we'll invite her back for more sessions in the future!

Last week we advertised for new models and got 30 odd responses, 3 of which we booked sessions with. Drawing is the natural choice for once off sessions and charcoal is becoming one of my favorite drawing mediums.

Next week is a new session and a new model.

Seated nude with a red cushion

Oil on Board 20cm x 25 cm

Our regular studio's undergoing renovations at the moment (we got three days notification!) so after a short sabbatical we're back to painting in a new venue.

We've been graciously offered, and accepted a studio on the third floor of a spectacular house.

This is the first painting from that venue.

This model has posed for us before, I described her in Reclining nude – Red hair and creamy skin as a lovely red haired girl with equally lovely white skin.

The new studio suits her - it's a lovely combination of the colour of her skin and hair and the wooden finish of the studio.

I'll be putting this work up for auction next week.

Guest artist - Artist Pauline Adair

"Sleeping Nude" By Queensland Artist Pauline Adair

I absolutely adore this painting!

I've been subscribed to Pauline Adair's blog (http://paulineadair.blogspot.com/) for about a year now. I found her site while searching for paintings on Africa, but it's not her African studies that captured my heart, it was her figures:

There are plenty beautiful paintings on her site, take some time and enjoy her figures.

First guest artist - Daniel Peci

When I originally started this blog it was with the intention of posting 500 nude paintings (or sketches) within a two year period... but I gave that up as unsustainable, I found it was not a goal I was focused on. I still adore doing nude figure studies, but I also adore other subjects.

I'd love to introduce you the reader to other artists in the figure painting field, I'll get to the 500 nudes by means of my scant posting and those of other figure study painters.

There are so many fine figure study artists that I had a tough time choosing who I wanted to introduce first, eventually I selected Daniel Peci.

Daniel Peci lives up to the goal I set for myself in the beginning - he frequently (almost daily) posts a new sketch or painting like this one:

6.5" x 8.5" pastel on paper

See his original post here: Daniel Peci

I love the sensuality of this sketch, it has a very classic feel about it, it's beautifully executed, and I love the model!

Oil wash sketch

Oil was sketch
Oil on canvas covered board
22 cm x 31 cm

Ever week a bunch of us get together to paint a lovely lady in the nude (well she's nude not us!)
Figure study is very intimidating, there so much stress involved - the painting has to look like the model and it needs to make her look good - it's the least I can do in return for the privilege I have of her posing for me!

This little painting was done during a once off session and was done as a sketch using paint and a paint brush instead of traditional drawing medium.
The effect is very much like that of one of those old sepia photos.

I find that this is a very hard way to sketch/paint because it is almost impossible to make a correction - if there is an incorrect line trying to erase it will only smudge the paint and it will never be restored to its original white!

Here's another beautiful example of this method - Oil wash sketch

How to buy this painting: How to buy a painting