Monday, 19-Sep-11 22:39:00 CEST

The first model sessions at Aquarelmere

At Aquarelmere I presented the idea that we could have two theme evenings with a nude model. Many of the painters had already experience of drawing and painting nude models in courses etc but for some it would be a new challenge. It was not so that this was an easy decision for everybody in the group but we concluded that we would try this.

I recognize this hesitation from myself. I have been thinking about this much for years and I failed to find conclusions to if it is right or wrong to paint nudes in a way that cannot be questioned in any culture and any time – past, present and future. I made a sport of finding out how the subject is introduced in books about drawing portraits and painting nude. After a while you find typical standard ways of explaining this. One classical way is to start off with the human skeleton and then gradually add muscles and then flesh and finally skin. As if I was at all interested in painting skeletons, no I am not. In many of the books the author is talking about everything except the most obvious and that is that you paint nudes because they are beautiful.

I have some kind of pernickety idea about right and wrong when it comes to painting nudes. There are many layers to this that when you start peeling of the layers the subject becomes difficult to deal with. I see many painters around me have no problem with this so I decided that I should not have any problems either. I don’t dig into this subject further here but I ensure you that I try to live up to my own fussy concept of doing things right. Whatever that is, I recognize it when I see it.

The model for these sessions would be an elderly red haired lady also modeling at de Kunstlinie in the course held by Iwona.

To prepare the group for the theme evening I started to collect the best tips and tricks I knew of so that I would kick start amateur painters into drawing portraits and models. I have read all books I could find about the subject and I have been looking how the semi professional / professional painters at gallery de Stoker are doing. Based on this study I created a little compendium for the group. I made it in Dutch. That was a challenge for me. My Zwederlands is close to Dutch but not close enough so it was a bit of nitpicking to get the text functional.

Aquarellists already have the handicap of placing the paper horizontally because they later on are working with water and placing the drawing horizontally is one cause for parallax distortions to the image, especially for beginners. It is easier to place the model on podium so that model is sitting a bit in the horizon of the artists. I built a podium for the model sessions. It had to be possible to assemble and disassemble so that I can store it in a compact way. This required a bit of construction work.

We also had to arrange a dressing booth for the model and a fan that could keep the model warm in case that would be necessary. Finally it was necessary with special light and then we were all set for the model session.

I had spent months of preparations for these two model sessions and when it came so far I surprised myself with being too busy with the practical details that I had no peace of mind to produce good paintings. The model was great. The response from the group was fantastic. Everybody was happy. But I had the feeling that I can do better than this. That is how it is sometimes. Next time better luck.

These paintings where made 31 of March and 7th of April 2011.