Painting a life model

the frenchmodel, originally uploaded by deepwarren.

As part of the painting course I got given for Xmas, we get to do 2 weeks with a life model. This is week 1. It's in oils on paper, with a concentration on using primary colours and staying away form heavy whites and darks. You will notice that i've manged to disobey that by using white on the lampshade/post, and edging in some dark umber.

We spent time drawing it up, trying to think of a composition and generally farting around before (finally) the paint comes out. She was a lovely model, and did a nice pose with good angles on the legs to try and get some shadows going.

Composition seems to be the hardest part of this - i was aiming for more square with the model off to the left, but lounge seems to be determined to center her. Somehow the lampshade - which is actually taller than the model seems to have shrunk down, and has become the object of the models attention.

She wore sunglasses (to shade herself form the studio lights - which are both hot and bright). I've not painted in them in, as they are going to be removed. We're leaving the face till last apparently. Trying to keep it light and sketchy ..

When in doubt, paint what you know

Oil on brown paper. Approx 50x70cm

I think he's listening to her heart. Or maybe just resting on her bosom. Boys I know are fond of singing a song of which the line 'everyone needs a bosom for a pillow' is about all they can remember. And it's a strange concept. You wonder somedays if you could just detach your boobs and pass them over and go about your business, leaving the boy at home sitting on the couch with the bosom.

He can reach out and grab it occasionally just to check it's still there. For cranky days, it would be a good solution.

This is a draft on brown paper. It's dressmakers paper and is great to scribble on as long as the paint stays nice and runny. Good from a scrambling paint sort of view. Not good for  anything with depth. And because it's not primed, you can just rub it back when you have finished or the paint is just all wrong. Found the paper in our rubbish room downstairs. Someone had decided that the world of dressmaking wasn't for them. Their lost, my gain.