...And now for something completely different: Oil Painting

This is just a quick post covering a little side project of mine.

On the back of recently attempting to emulate an atelier approach to life drawing classes - with some success - I've taken up oil painting as away of complimenting what I'm learning with the life drawing.

(Above)
'Robot'
Oil on canvas, 8"x10"

I've started with some still life studies of my children's toys, and I'm trying what's called an Alla Prima approach, which means 'first strike', you dive straight in and paint the final image immediately, without waiting for the paint to dry or layering on glazes and all those other incredibly classical and respected techniques.

Also, the great thing about it is that it means I can get a fully resolved painting done within a couple of hours, which is always good.

(Above)
'Fairy'
Oil on canvas, 8"x10"

I was inspired by an American artist called John Howard Sanden (whose book on portraiture should be a compulsory educational text!), the artist John Singer Sargent and also the well used technique of lost, soft and hard edges and how they interplay and focus the eye on an image.

I'm interested in how these techniques will apply to my illustration work, I'm already trying them out so I'll let you know how I get on when the pieces are in print.

Oil painting feels a more mature medium than acrylics, which I've always used and which I've really enjoyed. After I finished up these pieces I pencilled up a load of other canvases so I can dive straight into more painting when a free evening crops up - so I'll keep you posted!

Now- Back to the Cursed Earth!