Painted in March, 2025. 20”x16”. Acrylic on stretched canvas. Price $320.00 Cdn.
A big challenge for any painter is nudes and portraits. If your proportions are off, it is quickly apparent to the viewer. A good artist can get away with this, but I am still learning and wanted to go for a more realistic style.
The second half of my painting course at Vancouver Island University is focusing on life drawing and figurative painting. A model is brought in for two hours and we either draw or paint the pose. For the first two weeks I focused on drawing and working out proportions, then last week I took the leap and painted my first nude.
I always work out as many composition issues before I start the painting with a series of small thumbnails. For this painting, I decided to zoom in on the figure and start above the knees. This leads the eye from the lower left side of the canvas upwards and to the right, focusing on the model’s face. I kept the background indistinct so that the painting really becomes about the nude figure without any obvious narrative.
My own personal challenge is hands, I must have repainted the model’s left hand three or four times. I’m reading a book on anatomy for artists right now so that I can get a better handle on painting hands. I won’t give up until I’ve mastered this skill. Now on to my next challenge.
