Demonstration of a figure in oil
During my last oil painting course in Vaylats, I did a demonstration of our lovely model Ségo, posing in the orchard of the Convent.
This was done on the spot in 40 minutes, and I was lucky to have a friend there to film me. The light is a little bit annoying on the canvas unfortunately, as you’ll see.
What I really wanted to show to the students was how to simplify the major zones of the image right from the beginning. To decide on the overall composition and stick to it, rather than starting with the figure and trying to fit the rest in around later, which can leave you in serious difficulty if you’re not careful. At each major contour, I consider the relationship between the two adjacent areas in terms of tone and in terms of colour. Bit by bit the subject appears.
I didn’t have the time to complete the painting during the demonstration, so I added some detail later in the studio.