Two Belgians
Oil pastel and pencil on paper approx 14" x 12"
Well it might be two French guys or Belgian and a Pole - who knows. I did this from one of my own photos taken last year in Ghent. This painting tried my patience. It turned out more realistic than I wanted and to get the build up of the pastel took many, many layers. I'm not sure I want to keep doing that as somehow it was more tiring than doing acrylic layers. Also, unlike acrylics you are building up a body of "paint" on the surface with pastel and it will only take so much before it rebels. As to the subject, sorry he is a bit of a cliche - good looking, young, shades etc.etc. but I told myself the first photo I came across which had strong shadows on the face I would use. And this was it.
posted by Sheila Vaughan at 2:10 PM
10 Comments:
As always, talented friend, your lighting is masterful!
Happy Thanksgiving...
Happy Thanksgiving to you too DJ. Is it this coming weekend? (we don't celebrate in UK). You look like you have been plenty busy on your blog. Will be good to take a breather!
The first thing I noticed wasn't there: the white-haired man's face.
A bit of intrigue.
I met a famous Belgian once. Poirot. Also known as David Suchet. His mother was a patient.
Hi Sally, my painting got me thinking too - why did I take this guy's picture. Then I realised there was a street saxaphone player in the background and a gap in the crowd allowed me to capture him but he is not near the foreground of the photograph like this young man is. So the original intention was to take a photo of the sax player. Anyway Poirot I love - a great character and David Suchet always seems a nice chap. What was your impression?
First of all, I always respected the celebrities' privacy. David Suchet was pleasant and polite, and we mostly spoke of his mother.
He looks exactly like he does on the telly.
Over here there is a Belgian chocolate advert with a Poirot voice-over, but I doubt that any of my fellow Americans get the connection.
Hi Sheila,
You are way to hard on yourself. The design of this, and treatment are completely your own. Wonderful work.
So is it back to acrylics? You can really do no wrong in my eyes.
XO Barbara
Sally, that's a nice reply and one I would expect from you. At the end of the day "celebrities" are just ordinary people doing a different job. Belgian chocolate is yummy. I am off there next Wednesday for a few days. Hope I can stick to the diet.
Barbara, glad you like it. Thanks for saying so. I am more comfortabl with it now but the process of getting to that stage is a wee bit tiresome - and I don't think painting should be tiresome, it should be spontaneous even though it might be hard work. I have one more oil pastel I might post but yes, I think it is back to the acrylics. But famous last words you know....
Sheila, I think you sell yourself too short with this painting. It is strange in a very very good way. I love the design, with the white-haired figures face hidden. Very emotionally charged piece.
Thanks Don. To be honest I do like this more as time goes on. The oil pastels were a bit of a burden though.
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