Torrit Grey 2008 Workshop

[Chris Saper]

Step 1

A couple of weeks before the class, I tried out a demo with the TG,using an older photo I had on hand. I used an inexensive, acrylic primed canvas, which subsequently turned out to be a mistake.

Figure placement is the first and most fundamental decision to make, and here I didn't do a thumbnail sketch or work out the placement on my computer beforehand, and I paid the price. The size of the head was fine. But t was in the wrong place on the canvas.

[Chris Saper]

Step 2

It's important to evaluate the success or failure of your composition at every step, and to fix it AS SOON as you're aware of it.

Here I move the head slightly to the right, and a lower it a bit. I start to find the horizontal curves and angles of the face.

[Chris Saper]

Step 3

By separating the light from shadow, I can start to work out the value scheme of the painting, adding a vertical shape on the left, and darkening the background on the right.

[Chris Saper]

Step 4

Stating the dark and middle values, I hope you can see how purple the background on the left of the head has become. The TG behaves like a crushed blueberry, when it gets wet...adding either white or mineral spirits lightens it but moves it between blue-violet and red-violet, depending on how much black's in the mix.

[Chris Saper]

Step 5

Now all of the canvas is covered with light, middle and dark values; the paint is still pretty thin

[Chris Saper]

Step 6

Here I start to pay more attention to locating the features, and adding more value detail.

[Chris Saper]

Step 7

Starting to model more of the form through corrections.