Dublin with David

I just finished up a 5-day workshop with noted American figure painter David Jon Kassan at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin.

The workshop focused on the students learning Kassan's method of approaching a portrait painting. The class was split between David's demo and the students working.

From the first morn David set the tone, wanting the workshop to be a positive group experience. He would move through the classroom, attending to each student individually and guiding them in whatever way he saw necessary for success. David himself was very personable, alternating between cracking bad jokes and espousing his philosophy on painting.

David begins with a drawing on gunmetal gray Daler-Rowney Canford card paper, using Pan Pastel black blocked in with a number 4 trowel shaped drawing tool. From the block-in he refines the drawing with General's Charcoal pencils and white chalk pencils.
(check out this video)

Once completed, the drawing is photocopied and Pan Pastel red iron oxide is rubbed on the back of the copy.  This is placed upon die-bond plastic board that has been prepared with Golden N6 acrylic grey and traced out. Below you can see the beginning stages of the painting along with the drawing on the board.

David uses Vasari colours which he believes are the best.

He paints with small brushes specifically size 2 Isabey Kolinsky Sable round series 6227Z. He builds up texture with a series of lines, focusing on details and small variations. I compared it to a 

Van Gogh, but I do not think David appreciated it!

In order to get the desired texture, David uses Liquin oleopasto medium. Other mediums include stand-oil and M. Graham's walnut alkyd oil. Binoculars are used at all stages of the drawing and painting in order to refine shapes and details.

The final painting was auctioned of with proceeds going to the David Kassan Foundation

Below is my work (no time for the poor ear). David kept telling me to add more texture. The method is a lot different than the way I work which is from large general block-ins down to the specific. Here I had to jump into the detail right away and work from the center out.

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David has videos on his drawing and painting methods that are available for purchase through his website: http://store.davidkassan.com

Demo Down Under

This past Saturday afternoon I did an alla-prima portrait demo at Leoni Duff Studios in downtown Launceston. For students in my workshop and the  public, the idea was to show the steps in the completion of a portrait collapsed into a couple of hours. Leoni's husband Alan was kind enough to offer his handsome face for me to paint.

The following progress shots were taken at various points over 2.5 hours:

Setting proportions

Wash drawing

Beginning colour lay-in

Setting background colour

Modelling planes

Adding smaller forms

Fixing shapes

Completed portrait - 

One can always use just one more sitting

Above pics by Lynne Davies, Darren Day and Joanne Mitchelson - Thanks!

Some press coverage from the Launceston Examiner, Nov. 24 2013.

New Palette

I have been experimenting with a new restricted palette that gives results I like:

Titanium White ( Michael Harding) - I also like Cremnitz White but supplies are non existent these days.

Permanent Lemon Yellow (Maimeri) - a nice light, bright yellow which, when mixed with red, gives a nice highlight for skin colour.

Roman Ochre  (Zecchi) - A rich ochre that when mixed with red gives a beautiful flesh colour.

Cadmium Red Light (Windsor and Newton)  - A bright, light red.

Burnt Umber  (Old Holland) - A low chroma orange.

Raw Umber (Michael harding)  - A low chroma yellow/green, the greyest of colours before black.

Ivory Black (Old Holland) - A rich, cool black.

Ultramarine Blue (Old Holland) - works well as the blue on this palette. 

The above portrait of Conor was completed with this new palette.