Here are the most recent.
Amerindian Warrior 16" x 12"
On the top is the first version and bottom the 'modified' one. I did more work on the eyes, the features, especially with regard to colour. I added Translucent Brown from Schmincke (PBr41) to get nearer to the actual face colour of the so-called 'red man'. I have been criticised in the past about my skin colours and while I accept this I don't want to get over-realistic - others can do this a lot better than me, Stan Miller for example and Harley Brown, although Brown's fabulous work is in pastel. I'd rather be 'unfinished' than otherwise. Charles Reids Indians are just great but emulating him is so difficult and is it wise to do so in a copyist manner?
Musk-ox approx. 14 x 12"
I have now diverged slightly from my late mentor Charles Reid. He very much worked on the 'first try for a finish' principle. As a lesser mortal I've found I need to look at the painting several days afterwards and when I do can discern that it may need some additional work, taking care not to overwork as I prefer paintings that are 'unfinished". In the one above I've done nothing so far but the blue looks not quite right so may try to soften this. I know many like paintings' that are super-realistic and every inch of the paper covered with paint. That isn't me so I'll continue to plough my lonely path. Just joking folks I know my limitations but I enjoy it so what!
I really like the way the Native American Indian came out. The features really stood out.
ReplyDeleteRegarding copying. My feeling is that one should get as much as one can from a mentor or artist one admires but be willing and open to take the work in whatever direction it needs. A good example (in my humble opinion) would be Ted Nuttall whose work has unmissable Charles Reid qualities but at the same time has become it's own thing. Your own work, while also containing "Reidisms" has become it's own thing. Surprisingly, this change is often an unconscious thing. It just happens.
Hi Oscar
ReplyDeleteCopying an artists style is a controversial subject. Influenced by it is a different thing. Once an artists dies then thats different again because a gap is created which someone might fill. We have an example in Steve Hall who has built a reputation as painting ' in the style of Edward Wesson'. He was very much so but his paintings in the Pure Watercolour Society exhibition did show a divergence with the Wesson style.
Charles Reid (and his wife) expressed annoyance in a mild way of the many artists who had been on his workshops but never acknowledged his influence, which you could see in their paintings. Ron Ranson was the same.