Portrait Mosaic

A selection of my work for Julia Kay's Portrait Party (JKPP) on Flickr in 2011. Een selectie van mijn werk voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party (JKPP) op Flickr in 2011.

Martin

Quick and rough iPad-sketch (Brushes App). I kind of like roughly messing around with iPad-sketching, but don't know if I'll really develop the patience to dig into all the possibilities and nuances I see in many of the digital works by others. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle iPad-schets (Brushes App). Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Self-Portrait Sketches

I haven't been drawing much lately, no inspiration and not very satisfied with the things that I have attempted. In between Christmassy things, like browsing through my recently purchaised copy of the very inspiring "Julia Kay's Daily Portrait Project" (which I festively opened on Christmas Day), I did two very quick and rough self-portrait sketches on an iPad from a mirror-image. Their simplicity rather appealed to me, so I decided to post them. Snelle zelfportret iPad-schetsen (Brushes App).

Soft pastels (3)

Life drawing and painting, focused on applying earth colour soft pastels and siberian chalk on coloured paper. Third session on pastel techniques. As with the previous pastel portrait study I progressed very slowly resulting in a very much unfinished portrait. Portret & model-tekenen/schilderen, gericht op het toepassen van aardkleuren pastelkrijt en siberisch krijt op getint papier.

Soft pastels (2)

Life drawing and painting, focused on applying earth colour soft pastels on coloured paper, in this case a large piece of brown packaging paper (100 cm x 75 cm). Second session on pastel techniques, this time used for model sketching. Not particularly satisfied with the result, but still, here it is. Portret & model-tekenen/schilderen, gericht op het toepassen van aardkleuren pastelkrijt op bruin pakpapier.

Soft pastels

Life drawing and painting, focused on applying soft pastels in small patches of different shades of colour with the broad side of the pastel (in the style of Cézanne) on grey carton. I progressed very slowly picking suitable shades of colour, resulting in a very much unfinished portrait. I tend never to continue with or rework art class material afterwards, just leaving it as it turned out during class as a reminder of that particular session. Model: Yvonne. Portret & model-tekenen/schilderen, gericht op het toepassen van pastelkrijt in kleine kleurvlakken met de platte kant van het krijt (à la Cézanne) op grijs karton.

Erica

Quick sketch with brush pen, wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met penseelpen en Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Elena

Quick sketch with brush pen, wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). I set out to do a LIM sketch, but it turned out differently and became a bit of a pastel mess. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met penseelpen en Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Hands & feet

Life drawing and painting, focused on drawing (the structure of) hands from short poses, particularly the angle changes at the joints. With a homework task to draw feet. Portret & model-tekenen/schilderen, gericht op tekenen van (de structuur van) handen op basis van korte poses, met name de hoekwijzigingen vanuit de gewrichten. Met een huiswerkopdracht om voeten te tekenen.

Steve

Quick fountain pen portrait sketches #19. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. I wouldn't mind a serious (cross) hatching-course. I tend to make a mess out of it. Snelle vulpen portret schetsen #19. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Clyde

Quick sketch with wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Interior with Purple Chair (in progress)

Last year, inspired by the many works of Bonnard I had just seen in an exhibition in Wuppertal, I did a quick ink pen and watercolour sketch A Toast to Bonnard with some aspects of his work in mind, particularly colour, perspective, an interior (table) scene and a cat making an appearance. Since then, I've been intending to do some paintings in his style, but never got around to it. Last week I finally took some time and started out with a rough sketch in acrylics. The interior (again based on my mother's dining room) has more or less taken it's final shape, but concerning the window/garden scene I'm still messing around with some ideas. First I added some rough garden features just to try out the basic effect of then adding white curtains. I rather liked the intimate effect they had on the room. Then I gave the garden a different set up, more or less with Max Liebermann's fantastic paintings of his garden in mind; I recently saw quite a few of them in an exhibition in Bonn and during a visit to the artist's former summer house on the Wannsee Lake near Berlin, now a museum (Liebermann-Villa am Wannsee). But to fit in with the rest I'll have to rework this again. So, still lots of work to do and decisions to make. I was rather pleased to read that Bonnard often took years to finish a painting, contemplating on choises and changes to make, even adding paint to images that had left his possession. With my holidays coming to an end and little spare time to spend on painting in the coming weeks, I think I'll just do the same for now.

Roz

Sketch with wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Anna

Quick sketch with brush pen, wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met penseelpen en Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Gary

Quick sketches, one with fountain pen and one with a combination of brush pen, wax pastel on grained paper (21 x 21 cm). Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schetsen, een met vulpen en een met een combinatie van penseelpen en Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Julia

Portrait of Julia Kay for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. I set out to do it as a study in pinks and purples. To break the white of the canvas I started with covering it with some shades of green, not knowing what I'd do with it later on. As the face began to take shape and colour, the green rather appealed to me just as it is, so I decided to just leave it as it is. Acrylic on canvas (30 x 40 cm). Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Lucian Freud (2)

After painting a first portrait of Lucian Freud just a few days after he died (see my previous post with regard to Lucian Freud), I set out to do a second one, this time experimenting with quick broad and loose brushstrokes in combination with vivid colours. Some last-minute adjustments to the mouth and chin rather messed up the likeness it had before. I decided not to try to readjust with the risk of losing more of its previous spontaneity and just leave it as it is. Based on a photo I came across on the internet. Acrylic on canvas (30 x 40 cm).

Messy Piglet

Looking through a magazine I came across a photo of a piglet looking rather pleased with itself and thought it was a perfect subject to try and catch on canvas. I started out with a very rough sketch and then continued with roughly breaking the white of the canvas with some bright colours, not particularly characteristic for a pig. Contemplating on how to continue I paused for a short coffee break during which the little fellow kept staring out at me, seemingly quite pleased with its messy state. It rather appealed to me and I didn't want to lose that effect, so I decided to just leave it as it is for now and perhaps just start on a new one. Acrylic on canvas (30 x 40 cm).

Hadrian: A Portrait of an Emperor

Hadrian Template

Quick sketch with markers using the Hadrian template for the Hadrian: A Portrait of an Emperor-project, a portrait project based around the Roman Emperor Hadrian at Housesteads Roman Fort, Hadrian's Wall this summer on behalf of English Heritage and the National Trust. Visitors to the Fort will be asked to "Make a Wall of Hadrian's" using this template. Snelle schets met viltstiften op basis van de Hadrianus-template voor een portret-project rondom de Romeinse keizer Hadrianus onder andere bekend om de verdedigingsmuur die hij liet bouwen in het huidige Groot-Brittannië.

Lucian Freud (1922-2011)

Last Christmas I got Martin Gayford's book "Man in a Blue Scarf; On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucian Freud" as a present and very much enjoyed reading it. It gives an interesting insight on how Lucian Freud went about painting a portrait (or rather several at the same time) but also an insight in the life and personality of the artist (and to some extent of the sitter which in the case of art historian Gayford is certainly interesting too).
After hearing that Lucian Freud died I thought of doing some kind of tribute for this great figurative artist. So I set out to do a portrait of the artist based on a photo that featured in a collection of photos the Guardian published to commemorate the artist.
This is the first stage of my portrait. At a certain point I had a likeness that rather appealed to me, but it got lost. Perhaps I can pick it up again in the next stage. Acrylic on canvas (50 x 60 cm).

Keys

Another quick scrap paper sketch. I'm planning on doing a small painting of a bunch of keys, inspired by Manet's extraordinary small still lifes, like the ones he made of asparagus. I did this sketch just as a reminder to pick up later, but also find that such everyday objects often turn out very rewarding to sketch.

Apples

I've been enjoying Lies Goemans' daily miniature paintings ever since she started her Happy-mini-mail project and have had the intention for quite a while to someday do some myself but never got around to it. Rather dissatisfied with not having painted lately and with no real inspiration to start on something big I finally did do a quick miniature painting (10 x 10 cm) of some apples that were conveniently lying around. Acrylic on canvas (10 x 10 cm). Miniatuur schilderij geïnspireerd door de dagelijkse miniaturen van Lies Goemans in het kader van haar Happy-mini-mail project.

Claude Monet's House, Giverny

First attempt at landscape (townscape) painting in an impressionist style on a small canvas (18 x 24 cm), trying to catch the subject as much as possible with quick broad and loose brushstrokes. I found it quite difficult to achieve on such a small surface. There's a lot that I would want to change or correct, but on the other hand I rather like the roughness of it and think that it's probably better to leave it as it is than risking it becoming overworked and ruining the whole concept. Based on a photo I took of Claude Monet's house in Giverny. Acrylic on canvas (18 x 24 cm). Eerste poging tot landschap schilderen in een impressionistische stijl op een klein canvas (18 x 24 cm).

Margarita

Sketch with wax pastel. I set out to do a LIM sketch, but it turned out differently. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Scrap paper sketches

Some more quick scrap paper sketches. They rather appealed to me, so I decided to keep them and post them. The person portrayed is Margarita, a member of Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Deze snelle kladschetsen spraken me wel aan en besloot ze te houden en ook te posten. De geportretteerde persoon is een lid van Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Kris

Quick sketch with wax pastel. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

Workshop landscape painting

Workshop landscape painting in Eys, focused on achieving depth or accentuation through colour (cold-warm contrast). I started out with a series of quick and rough watercolour studies and then did a few pastel drawings. My watercolour studies became increasingly abstract. Not particularly satisfied with the result, but still, here they are. Watercolour and soft pastel. Workshop landschap schilderen te Eys, gericht op diepte- of accentwerking door middel van kleur (koud-warm contrast).

In the style of Matisse, "Leadbelly à la Matisse" (2)

Slowly progressing with my painting of Leadbelly in the style of Matisse as described in a previous post. Lots to finish and lots I want to change. Acrylic on canvas (100 x 100 cm).

In the style of Matisse, "Leadbelly à la Matisse"

Colour studies for "Leadbelly a la Matisse"

 

Composition studies for "Leadbelly a la Matisse"


The final portrait & model class sessions of this season are focused on painting in the style of Matisse, this time not based on life drawing and painting, but on a figure/subject of one's own choice from a photo or just from imagination. I chose to do a guitar player as subject and browsing through my cd-collection came across some characteristic photos of "Leadbelly" that suited the idea I had in mind for a painting. See below for a picture of Leadbelly and a short description of his life; I'm planning on including several aspects of his life into the final painting.
During the first two sessions the task was to make several composition studies of the chosen subject based on Matisse's style and after deciding on the composition, to expand on this with several colour studies, again based on Matisse's style. During the final sessions the task will be to bring it all to the canvas.
Portret & model-tekenen/schilderen, de laatste sessies zijn gericht op schilderen a la Matisse van een onderwerp naar eigen keuze. Ik heb gekozen om een gitarist uit te beelden en heb daarvoor een foto van "Leadbelly" als uitgangspunt genomen. Gedurende de eerste twee sessies was de opdracht om van het gekozen onderwerp diverse compositie- en kleurenstudies te maken in de stijl van Matisse.

Leadbelly (Huddie William Ledbetter)

Leadbelly, real name Huddie William Ledbetter, was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced. He is said to have been the most widely known black rural performer to achieve "cross-over" popularity in the decades preceding the 1950s.
Born in 1888 in Louisiana, he grew in the segregated South. The period of his childhood and youth was one of great change for the African-American. The emancipation that followed the conclusion of the American Civil War had renoved slavery in name but not in reality. African-Americans could not vote. Many found themselves dispossessed of their land as plantation owners evicted all except those willing to resell themselves into a working environment not much different to what preceded the war.
Growing up in a musical family he learned to play guitar, piano, harmonica, accordion and several other instruments while still young. He had several jobs, including picking cotton, but also entertained with his music. He lead a violent life and was sentenced to prison several times. He was pardoned twice, which is remarkable at a time when the opportunity to gain one's freedom, especially as a black man, had to be particularly bleak. It's said that together with good behaviour he sang himself out of jail.
He was "discovered" by folklorists John and Alan Lomax during a visit to the Angola Prison Farm where they made recordings of his songs on portable disc recording equipment leading to "The King of The 12 String Guitar". Lomax later brought Leadbelly to New York, and published a book about him. During the 1940s Leadbelly's home in New York was a centre for folk and blues activity. He also was the first American country blues musician to see success in Europe. In 1949 he began his first European tour with a trip to France but fell ill before its completion and died in the same year.
It's said that Ledbetter's perseverance and power ("he could pick in the cotton fields 1,000 pounds a day") earned him the nickname "Leadbelly".

Storescape

Quick sketch with wax pastel. I did this quick rough and distorted ink pen sketch from a photo that turned out a bit messy. Contemplated on throwing it away, but as I rather liked the figure sketch in it, I decided to keep it and just messed around with adding some colours. Not particularly satisfied with the result, but still, here it is. Landscape ("storescape") for Lots of Landscapes on Flickr. Snelle schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Landschap ("winkelschap") voor Lots of Landscapes op Flickr.

Spring: Bovine Ballet

_______________

First smell of fresh green
Dancers so keen
An early spring day
The stage for a bovine ballet

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I like cows and enjoy seeing them roaming in the pastures near to where I live. Although the local farmers haven't let their cows out of their winter lodgings yet, with spring just around the corner it certainly will not take long before they do. Elsewhere some farmers have already done so and a photo in the local newspaper showed a very happy cow getting its first smell of fresh grass. I used it for a quick and loose sketch. Wax pastel on paper. Lente: Dansende koe. Snelle schets gebaseerd op een foto in de krant van een uitgelaten koe die van opwinding vreugdesprongen maakt als ze voor het eerst weer vers gras ruikt. Neocolor II waspastels.

Arturo

Quick sketch with wax pastel. I did this double portrait a while ago and it's been lying around ever since as I rather liked the sketch in this part, it had the effect I was trying to achieve, but I completely messed up the sketch of the other person. I tried to repair it but it just didn't work out. In stead of throwing it away, I decided to keep this part and post it. Portrait for Julia Kay's Portrait Party on Flickr. Snelle schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Portret voor Julia Kay's Portrait Party op Flickr.

St Paul's

Sketch with wax pastel. It didn't really turn out in the style I wanted to achieve, so in that sense I'm not particularly satisfied with the result. The quick scrap paper sketch I did of the same subject earlier rather appealed to me, so I decided to keep it and post it as well. Landscape for Lots of Landscapes on Flickr, a group in which members paint and draw landscapes from photos posted for that purpose. Schets met Neocolor II waspastels. Ben niet bepaald tevreden met het resultaat. De snelle kladschets die ik eerder van hetzelfde onderwerp maakte sprak me wel aan en besloot het te houden en ook te posten. Landschap voor Lots of Landscapes op Flickr, een groep waarin de leden landschappen tekenen en schilderen van foto's die voor dat doel gepost zijn.