Good Models vs Bad Models • Q&A • New Oil Paintingslife during wartime

Good Models vs Bad Models • Q&A • New Oil Paintings

It's obvious that a good model will inspire you to create better work and vice versa, but what are some of the things that separate models in terms of quality?

Good model: Dynamism in the pose, puts emphasis into key areas of interest to an artist (muscle, bone structure, gesture, weight distribution), variety in the poses.

Bad Model: Just stands there, no dynamism whatsoever, no real effort. Note: This has nothing to do with the weight of the model, I've had plenty of heavier models who can pose well.

Good Model: Action, theatricality, an attempt at story-telling without being too ham-handed.

Bad Model: None of that stuff.

Good Model: Simply put, can hold a pose!

Bad Model: WONT STAY STILL ARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH (Notice that lack of imagination in the poses again?) You do the best you can, I guess.

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I've gotten some questions about what I'm planning on doing, plus a few other things that I'd figure I'd answer here.

Q: Are you planning on doing any more pieces for the "Painted Roses" series? What's nest?

I'm not sure. I am definitely not continuing the same exact series as I have done it before. I've completely exhausted the possibilities of that session that produced the paintings from that series. I've yet to determine whether or not it would be interesting to do the same formula of "tattooed girl against patterned backdrop." The idea of that one was relatively spontaneous, and also very personalized to the model's figure and personality.

I have an idea of what my next major series will be (One of three) that involve a female figure, patterns, and different elements merging together, yet completely different than the "Painted Roses" series. I'd love to use Julia again for another series, but I've yet to come up with a new idea for it, plus she's in NYC right now anyways.

Q: How do you get the models to pose for you? It seems like you have to be very personable and skilled to talk someone into taking their clothes off for you.

I am very particular about who I choose to work with. First and foremost, the person has to be enthusiastic about working with me. That usually means they are familiar with my work and want to be part of what I plan on creating with them. I get to know the person before I decide on what I want to use them for, and for the most part it's something based on their unique characteristics. So by the time it gets to the posing, there's no "talking them into it." If they're not comfortable, I'm not working with them. As anyone who knows me in person could tell you, I'm pretty shy and quiet in person, so I have no special gifts of gab, but I like to think I'm a pretty nice person. I also take the sessions seriously and do my best to make sure the person is as comfortable as possible.

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These are 2 new oil paintings that I finished a couple of days ago. These are the first new significant pieces that I have done since the "Painted Roses" series. The reference I worked from is actually over a year old, and I've sat on them for a while. I've just now gotten around to coming up with something interesting to paint from.

Through the magic of Photoshop and some know-how, you can manipulate your reference to whatever you want. You can change the time of day, even. Takes a lot more work than it looks like, but it's worth getting exactly what you're after. There's no reason or benefit to half-assing anything you do.

"Sea of Tears" 12x18" Oils on Canvas Board, 2011.