3 Ways To Know A Great Painter While Drawing The Human Body

Hello, my name is Veronica Huacuja. I am a plastic artist and online art teacher. I've created this content for a group class and I hope you enjoy it.

PREVIOUS COMMENT. As artists or art practitioners, we must use all the resources we have at our disposal. Following these criteria, this time we explored the work of the painter Lucian Freud (1922-2011, Germany), one of the most important portraitists of the 20th century–and Sigmund Freud's grandson, the founder of psychoanalysis–. We focused on one of Lucien Freud's portraits of Leigh Bowery (1961-1994), an Australian artist.

THE EXERCISE. I developed a plasticine model based on one of Freud’s portraits of Bowery, “Nude with Leg Up (Leigh Bowery)”. In this way, we had endless poses of the model, to which I applied different lights. We worked with the ones we found the most interesting, and drew them with crayon on paper.

I'm adding some sketches that I made in the session, and an image of the plasticine model.

This is a sketch based on Lucien Freud's portrait “Nude with Leg Up (Leigh Bowery)”. — Sketch 10Sketch 11

Plasticine model I made for the session.

OUR ART GOALS.
- We had to achieve the gesture of the human figure, considering the volume delineated by the lights applied to the plasticine figure. Gesture, as we may know, is a “movement” of the body that expresses a feeling, a sensation.

- We experienced the powerful use of a black, thick crayon on paper.

- For those who didn’t know the painter’s work, got to know it, and also we got to know some facts about Freud’s biography, such as the relationship established with his model. When I introduce a new artist to my students, I always refer to the man (in a comprehensive sense, referring to men or women) and his work. I believe that’s the most complete way of approaching an artist and his work.

THE DYNAMIC OF THE SESSION. Everyone, including me as a teacher, made the exercise. As we did so, I gave guidance, according to the needs of the participants. And, meanwhile, we worked, I displayed and commented on my progress on the screen.

To know the plasticine model and some other sketches of the work, please visit https://www.patreon.com/posts/67831359

MATERIAL.
· A thick black crayon.

· Sketch paper. Size and type: 29.7 x 42 cm, 95 g / m2 (it’s a thin paper).

EXERCISE DURATION.
2 sessions of 60 mins.

LET’S MAKE A REFLECTION FROM THE ABOVE. Getting to know the oeuvre and life of the artists of all times expands our artistic and personal experiences. So, the comprehensive study of these artists is something we must continually do.

Visit any time:

Some more info and images of the work: https://www.patreon.com/posts/67831359

My ART SHOP: https://veronica-huacuja.pixels.com

My BODY OF ART: https://veronica.mx

I offer an ONLINE PAINTING PROGRAM in traditional or digital techniques: https://veronica.mx/online_painting_course

Other POSTS AND VIDEOS: https://patreon.com/veronicahuacuja

Thank you for reading.

Using Chiaoscuro In A Painting

Let’s learn new techniques from the masters of painting and include them in our art flow.

Welcome to another Art Blog. My name is Veronica Huacuja. I'm a plastic artist, and an online art teacher for individuals and groups. I have some good tips for your painting process. Hope you find them useful.

SOME CONCEPTS TO START. Chiaroscuro is an Italian word that refers to the lighting and shadows in painting. Who used this interesting technique were the great painters of all times, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Velázquez, among others.

This technique emphasizes light and dark, making out stand the most important figures in an artwork. “It was originally used while drawing on colored paper though it is now used in paintings and even cinema. It is very commonly seen in religious art, especially with the light emanating from the holy figure being painted. This process is used because it naturally draws the eye toward the focus point which the artist intends in a very natural way.” (1)

CHIAROSCURO AND TENEBRISM. I’d like to approach an interesting difference between these both techniques. Tenebrism comes from the Italian word “tenebroso”, which means dark. In this technique, shadow undergoes to black, there’s no intermediation between light and shadow. One of the great exponents of tenebrism is the Italian painter, Caravaggio (1571-1603, Milan, Duchy of Milan, Spanish Empire). On the contrary, chiaroscuro uses light and shadow to create depth behind the figures.

SOME COMMENTS REGARDING THE WORK I'M PRESENTING. As an artist, I’m concerned with abnormality and its effects on human life. To create this work, I read and watched testimonials of persons that have had the experience of an epiphany, which as we may know, is “an experience of a sudden and striking realization” (2), that can be mystical, religious, philosophical, etc.

In the work, I tried to embody this strange human experience using the chiaroscuro technique to add drama and three dimensionality to the piece. The data sheet of the work is:

In the work, I tried to embody the strange human experience which is an epiphany. The last by using the chiaroscuro technique, which adds drama and three dimensionality to the piece. — Epiphany 5

Title: Epiphany 5
Artist: Veronica Huacuja
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 9,448 x 8,740 px, 300 dpi
Year: 2020
Collection: Portraits

LET’S DEDUCE A SIGNIFICANT MEANING FROM THE ABOVE. We can study the body of art of the great masters of painting, learn their techniques and use them in our work, in whatever genre we manage. Also, we can keep in mind that our production, as artists, mostly come as if from dreams, where our experiences overlap in a delicate, ephemeral relationship.

1 https://artsandculture.google.com/usergallery/the-use-of-chiaroscuro/1AJCCI6Py2rgLA

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(feeling)

Should We Include Social Issues To Our Artwork?

You’re welcome to another Art Blog.

I’m Veronica Huacuja, a plastic artist, and an online art teacher. I have some good and practical tips for your painting process. Hope you find them helpful.

REGARDING THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG. Should we include into our art social problems we watch and read about in our everyday lives? I think it’d be a natural thing to do for some artists, but I’d like to add that this inclusion has to be subordinated to art itself, not to any other topic or field. If our work is a piece of art, it has to be free of any usage (e.g. political topics, trends, etc.).

So, that been said, I made up a collection I entitled The Relentless, where I picture historical characters that suffer social malfunctions and disorders that drive them to commit crime. The tragedy of their lives and their cross paths in the lives of others are elements that impulse me to create this collection.

In this series, I dedicate my work to the victims of the perpetrators I work on, and to the multidisciplinary law enforcement team that pursues these offenders.

This is the data sheet of the work I’m presenting:Title: Robert Stroud, The Birdman of Alcatraz

Artist: Veronica Huacuja

Medium: Digital Art

Size: 6,614 x 10,422 px, 300 dpi

Year: 2021

Collection: The Relentless

As we may know, Robert Franklin Stroud (1890-1963, U.S.) was a convicted criminal with significant contrasts in his lifetime. These contradictions prompted me to create his portrait, in which I tried to capture the tumultuous events of his tragic life.

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. One more thing that triggered in me the creation of this work is that I’ve visited the public museum of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary during my lifetime on several occasions. I’ve read about the everyday routines that the inmates had to perform, the established relationships among them (their hierarchies, their groups), the roles of the guards, etc. I’ve seen the small cells in which these dangerous men lived for years.

SOME OTHER THOUGHTS. Regarding the aforementioned, I’d like to talk about the differences that some European prisons have compared to other countries, where the inmates have better conditions for redemption. This last, if it’s the case. I believe, besides a matter of finances, overpopulation, etc. the concept of man is different in diverse countries, and in different historical periods. Some countries use their resources to reintegrate the offenders into society–when they’re sure these men won’t relapse–, and others to punish them. I believe Alcatraz was one of the latter prisons where most inmates were meant to be broken. This statement has to be seen as a historical phenomenon.

LET’S MAKE A MEANINGFUL REFLECTION FROM THE ABOVE. I believe the answer to the question of this blog’s title is, for some artists, a categorical yes. Do you agree?

Visit any time:

My ART SHOP: https://veronica-huacuja.pixels.com

My BODY OF ART: https://veronica.mx

I offer an ONLINE PAINTING PROGRAM in traditional or digital techniques: https://veronica.mx/online_painting_course

Other POSTS AND VIDEOS: https://patreon.com/veronicahuacuja

Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed the post.

How To Improve Your Portrait Painting

Welcome to this Art Post. My name is Veronica Huacuja. I’m a plastic artist and an online art teacher. I've some good tips for you, as a painter. Hope you find them helpful.

LET'S LEARN... How to improve our portrait process and make a powerful character using a masterpiece of the Spanish painter, Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), “Pope Innocent X” (1650). We'll do this exercise with freedom, not trying to copy the work itself (which, BTW, it’d be a great training exercise), but to base our work on it.

SOME PREVIOUS THOUGHTS. Velázquez is one of the great masters of portraiture of all times. What called my attention in this piece, among other important topics, is the amazing reflection of the powerful personality of the historical character (with its keen eyes) that the painter must have captured. As we know, Pope Innocent X is famous for his harsh hand using his political power. Whenever is the case, it’s important to get acquainted with the person’s biography when we make its portrait.

To exemplify this, I add the following work:

Title: Cortical Blindness
Artist: Veronica Huacuja 
Media: Digital Art
Size: 10,630 x 8,269 px, 300 dpi
Year: 2020
Collection: Portraits

MY EXPERIENCE WHILE MAKING THIS ARTWORK. I made a close-up of Velazquez’s portrait and increased to red the color values. As you can see, I chose a dark brown color for the background to work on it. When I say work on it, I mean that the background color has to be an active part of the work, not to paint it all the way through, but to use it in strategic areas. Here, in the shadows.

So, if the character's eyes were the thing that most affected me in this masterpiece, why don't make this character a blind one? And so I did.

One more thing, “Cortical Blindness” won a “Special Recognition” at the 10th Anniversary Art Exhibition 2020 made by Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery (www.lightspacetime.art)!

LET'S MAKE A MEANINGFUL REFLECTION FROM THE ABOVE. Something we can do throughout our artistic life is to study and practice our skills using the body of art of prominent artists of all times.

Visit any time:

My ART SHOP: https://veronica-huacuja.pixels.com

My BODY OF ART: https://veronica.mx

I offer an ONLINE PAINTING PROGRAM in traditional or digital techniques: https://veronica.mx/online_painting_course

Thank you for reading.

MAKING UP A PORTRAIT OF AN UNCOMMON, STRONG CHARACTER

Making up a portrait

(PP.35 The Intervention 8)

Hi! I am Veronica, a painter and an art coach at patreon.com/veronicahuacuja. I have some good tips for your painting process.

Previous thoughts. As an artist, I’m interested in the media programs that refer to true forensic arts and fiction series as initial resources for my work. So, “Murder She Solved”, “Real Stories” are, among many, true online crime documentaries that might provide us with elements to make up a portrait of uncommon characters. This with all respect for the implicated persons in such matters. I include other sources, such as “Seven”, for example, as one of the favourite crime fictional films of many. Am I right?

The following artwork refers to the physical changes that the human body suffers after losing life. This is the reason that I made up an anonymous and uncommon character.

Title: The Intervention 8

Artist: Veronica Huacuja

Media: Digital Painting

Year: 2020

Learning about...

Finding inspirational sources in the famous genre of true forensic documentaries to make up anonymous, uncommon, powerful characters.
Getting to know that using the chiaroscuro's* technique helps us to achieve an emotional impact in the observer, that is, it adds drama to our work as well as three-dimensionality.

To know some technical procedures I used in this artwork, I invite you to visit my patron’s feed at https://www.patreon.com/posts/36702809

For prints of this work please visit: https://www.artpal.com/VeronicaFineArt/

Visit anytime https://veronica.mx

Art Newsletter. I email a free Art Newsletter every month. If you’re interested in receiving it, please let me know at art@veronica.mx

Hope you enjoy the post and find it useful for your art workflow.

Thank you for visiting this Portrait Artwork post.

#chiaroscuro,#artwebsite, #principlesofart,#charactercreation, #intervention, #forensicart, #patreon, #paint, #digitalpainting, #art, #artist, #portrat, , #truecrime, #forensicinvestigation

THE BEST WAY TO FIND TOPICS FOR YOUR ARTWORK

Portrait Artwork

(PP.16 Body Study 45)

Hi! I am Veronica, a painter and an art coach at patreon.com/veronicahuacuja. I have some good tips for your painting process.

Previous question. Have you ever been in front of your canvas without knowing what to paint or draw on it? For this never to happen again, I have a good method that works.

To exemplify this, I added the following work:

Title: Head Study 45

Artist: Veronica Huacuja

Medium: Oil, acrylic and wax crayon on paper

Size: 15.7 (W) x 13.7 (H) x 0.1 in

Year: 2018

Learning about... How to find inspirational sources for our artwork.

Previous thoughts. One thing I usually do is to be aware of the world events. So, one day, not knowing exactly the next artwork I wanted to work in, I found out an outstanding article in the news: The Curious Death and Afterlife of Eva Perón.

As we may know, Eva Perón was the fist Lady of Argentina (1946-1952) until her early death (1919-1952). Her body was extraordinary embalmed by the Spanish pathologist, Dr. Pedro Ara. After accomplishing his work, and since then, her corpse seems to be alive, just like being in a deep slumber.

Eva Peron’s afterlife is a long one. In one of her transcontinental trips her coffin fell and her nose broke. This detail inspired me to create the artwork of an unknown female body with a broken nose. I think I will make up a series of women’s portraits with broken noses.

My experience doing this work. To make up the work, I sculpted and painted a female’s head and her torso. I used this clay figure as my model for my oil and acrylic painting.

Clay sculpture done to painting "Head Study 45". — Clay sculpture done to paint "Head Study 45".

To see the model and to know more technical details of how I accomplished this artwork, please visit https://www.patreon.com/posts/31525213

For the original paint or prints of the artwork, head over to https://www.artpal.com/VeronicaFineArt

https://www.singulart.com/en/artworks/veronica-huacuja-head-study-45-678665

Visit anytime veronica.mx

Art Newsletter. If you’re interested in receiving the free monthly newsletter I send to my subscribers, please let me know at art@veronica.mx. I’ll be glad to include you in my list.

Hope you enjoy the post and find it useful for your art workflow.

Thank you for reading.

#art, #patreon; #printmaking, #artandlife, #oilpainting, #oil, #paint, #artist, #artnews, #evitaperon, #pedroara, #argentina, #claysculpting, #paint, #patreon

LOVE YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR PAINT AND USE IT (video)

Portrait Artwork

Hi! I am Veronica, a painter and an art coach at patreon.com/veronicahuacuja. I have some good tips for your painting process.

A previous question

As a painter, do you first paint the background color and then you inscribe the figure(s) in it? If you do so, always keep in mind to use the background color in the final solution of your paint.

To exemplify this, I added the following artwork video (2.5 mins):

Title: Crime Scene 5
Artist: Veronica Huacuja
Medium: Digital Painting
Year: 2020

Educational objectives

Getting to know the advantages of using the background color in the solution of our paint.

To continue reading about the pictorical procedures of this artwork head over to my art coach feed at patreon.com: https://www.patreon.com/posts/39291326

For prints of this work visit: https://www.artpal.com/VeronicaFineArt

For originals of my artworks visit:

https://www.singulart.com/en/artist/veronica-huacuja-19273

https://www.saatchiart.com/huacujaveronica

Hope you enjoy the post and find it useful for your workflow.

Thank you for visiting.

#color, #painting, #portrait, #adobe, #facebook, #digitalpainting