As previously mentioned, I took a week-long "Expressionistic Figure Painting" workshop at The Art Students League with artist Barbara Yeterian. We worked on our paintings in twenty-minute increments and I took photos at each breaking point.
At this point, I went home from class really not happy with the painting. I just didn't like the pose — the way the two models were interacting was just not interesting to me. It wasn't telling a story. So I took the photo you see above and doodled on it in Photoshop.
I liked this relationship much more, so I decided that the next class I would simply ignore the models and make my painting look the photo above.
One of the things that my instructor, Barbara, was super good at, was pointing out the little things that can make a huge difference in your painting. I think the changes between the last few iterations of this painting are subtle, but really important.
Here's a closer look at the final painting:
I learned a few very important lessons while painting this canvas:
- I need to work larger. All my paintings were done on 16×20 canvases and they are just too darn small. Working on the figures as a whole was great, but it was difficult to get the subtlety I wanted with the form being so small. The faces were particularly difficult to do at such a small size. It's hard for me to figure out what the heck I'd do with a bigger canvas in this little apartment, but I need to do it in order to grow.
- For me, my paintings need to tell a story. I'm not happy otherwise and so I'm glad I changed the pose in order to create more of a story.
- Hands, hands, hands — I need to work on hands. They're interesting in this painting, but very paw-like.
Thanks for stopping by!
Julie, I havn’t been here in a while, was looking back over other post, you are beautiful…..loved the one of you in the elevator, love this canvas painting also…..
Julie, I havn’t been here in a while, was looking back over other post, you are beautiful…..loved the one of you in the elevator, love this canvas painting also…..
Julie, I havn’t been here in a while, was looking back over other post, you are beautiful…..loved the one of you in the elevator, love this canvas painting also…..
Julie, I havn’t been here in a while, was looking back over other post, you are beautiful…..loved the one of you in the elevator, love this canvas painting also…..
Julie, I havn’t been here in a while, was looking back over other post, you are beautiful…..loved the one of you in the elevator, love this canvas painting also…..
Hi Julie: This is the most outstanding piece of work. I agree with you how you changed the pose. It is so heartfelt (!) now. It reminds me of Alex Grey’s work. Just amazing the process you went through and by those many strokes you got to here. Envy!!!! (in the most good way – we Jews aren’t allowed to envy! haha)
Hi Julie: This is the most outstanding piece of work. I agree with you how you changed the pose. It is so heartfelt (!) now. It reminds me of Alex Grey’s work. Just amazing the process you went through and by those many strokes you got to here. Envy!!!! (in the most good way – we Jews aren’t allowed to envy! haha)
Hi Julie: This is the most outstanding piece of work. I agree with you how you changed the pose. It is so heartfelt (!) now. It reminds me of Alex Grey’s work. Just amazing the process you went through and by those many strokes you got to here. Envy!!!! (in the most good way – we Jews aren’t allowed to envy! haha)
Hi Julie: This is the most outstanding piece of work. I agree with you how you changed the pose. It is so heartfelt (!) now. It reminds me of Alex Grey’s work. Just amazing the process you went through and by those many strokes you got to here. Envy!!!! (in the most good way – we Jews aren’t allowed to envy! haha)
Hi Julie: This is the most outstanding piece of work. I agree with you how you changed the pose. It is so heartfelt (!) now. It reminds me of Alex Grey’s work. Just amazing the process you went through and by those many strokes you got to here. Envy!!!! (in the most good way – we Jews aren’t allowed to envy! haha)
Lovely canvas evolution you shared here today!
Before you played with it in photoshop, poses and whole painting seemed stiff and dull.
Afterwards, great energy and life to the piece, bravo for following your artist heart/gut!
I have to laugh at your comment about the hands, I thought YOUR hands looked GREAT!
Peace,
Donna
Lovely canvas evolution you shared here today!
Before you played with it in photoshop, poses and whole painting seemed stiff and dull.
Afterwards, great energy and life to the piece, bravo for following your artist heart/gut!
I have to laugh at your comment about the hands, I thought YOUR hands looked GREAT!
Peace,
Donna
Lovely canvas evolution you shared here today!
Before you played with it in photoshop, poses and whole painting seemed stiff and dull.
Afterwards, great energy and life to the piece, bravo for following your artist heart/gut!
I have to laugh at your comment about the hands, I thought YOUR hands looked GREAT!
Peace,
Donna
Lovely canvas evolution you shared here today!
Before you played with it in photoshop, poses and whole painting seemed stiff and dull.
Afterwards, great energy and life to the piece, bravo for following your artist heart/gut!
I have to laugh at your comment about the hands, I thought YOUR hands looked GREAT!
Peace,
Donna
Lovely canvas evolution you shared here today!
Before you played with it in photoshop, poses and whole painting seemed stiff and dull.
Afterwards, great energy and life to the piece, bravo for following your artist heart/gut!
I have to laugh at your comment about the hands, I thought YOUR hands looked GREAT!
Peace,
Donna
I too was thinking how much I liked the hands. The movement you found in the end is great. Thanks for sharing your process.
I too was thinking how much I liked the hands. The movement you found in the end is great. Thanks for sharing your process.
I too was thinking how much I liked the hands. The movement you found in the end is great. Thanks for sharing your process.
I too was thinking how much I liked the hands. The movement you found in the end is great. Thanks for sharing your process.
I too was thinking how much I liked the hands. The movement you found in the end is great. Thanks for sharing your process.
Love how you changed this from a sort of photograph into something far more interesting!
Love how you changed this from a sort of photograph into something far more interesting!
Love how you changed this from a sort of photograph into something far more interesting!
Love how you changed this from a sort of photograph into something far more interesting!
Love how you changed this from a sort of photograph into something far more interesting!
I like how you kept working the painting until you got the look you were going for. If you go bigger-I recommend clayboard slats-they are flat and easily stored away even in the bigger sizes. I have the same issue with hands and I have been snapping pictures of friends hands and sketching and painting them treating them as their own island-I also got right and left hand models and put them up so I can move and manipulate them into different poses and light them-it is really helping my work and I find I actually like hands now. I am a huge fan of your work
I like how you kept working the painting until you got the look you were going for. If you go bigger-I recommend clayboard slats-they are flat and easily stored away even in the bigger sizes. I have the same issue with hands and I have been snapping pictures of friends hands and sketching and painting them treating them as their own island-I also got right and left hand models and put them up so I can move and manipulate them into different poses and light them-it is really helping my work and I find I actually like hands now. I am a huge fan of your work
I like how you kept working the painting until you got the look you were going for. If you go bigger-I recommend clayboard slats-they are flat and easily stored away even in the bigger sizes. I have the same issue with hands and I have been snapping pictures of friends hands and sketching and painting them treating them as their own island-I also got right and left hand models and put them up so I can move and manipulate them into different poses and light them-it is really helping my work and I find I actually like hands now. I am a huge fan of your work
I like how you kept working the painting until you got the look you were going for. If you go bigger-I recommend clayboard slats-they are flat and easily stored away even in the bigger sizes. I have the same issue with hands and I have been snapping pictures of friends hands and sketching and painting them treating them as their own island-I also got right and left hand models and put them up so I can move and manipulate them into different poses and light them-it is really helping my work and I find I actually like hands now. I am a huge fan of your work
I like how you kept working the painting until you got the look you were going for. If you go bigger-I recommend clayboard slats-they are flat and easily stored away even in the bigger sizes. I have the same issue with hands and I have been snapping pictures of friends hands and sketching and painting them treating them as their own island-I also got right and left hand models and put them up so I can move and manipulate them into different poses and light them-it is really helping my work and I find I actually like hands now. I am a huge fan of your work
Great stuff Julie, thanks for showing us how you evolve, or the work evolves with a bit of thinking and expanding on whats possible with it…. always inspiring, yep going a bit crazy on the page/ canvas does help the image sometimes! the movement and vigor lifts it up and away more.
have a good week and a wonderful Easter there, happy Easter to everyone as well, if its one you get into!
Great stuff Julie, thanks for showing us how you evolve, or the work evolves with a bit of thinking and expanding on whats possible with it…. always inspiring, yep going a bit crazy on the page/ canvas does help the image sometimes! the movement and vigor lifts it up and away more.
have a good week and a wonderful Easter there, happy Easter to everyone as well, if its one you get into!
Great stuff Julie, thanks for showing us how you evolve, or the work evolves with a bit of thinking and expanding on whats possible with it…. always inspiring, yep going a bit crazy on the page/ canvas does help the image sometimes! the movement and vigor lifts it up and away more.
have a good week and a wonderful Easter there, happy Easter to everyone as well, if its one you get into!
Great stuff Julie, thanks for showing us how you evolve, or the work evolves with a bit of thinking and expanding on whats possible with it…. always inspiring, yep going a bit crazy on the page/ canvas does help the image sometimes! the movement and vigor lifts it up and away more.
have a good week and a wonderful Easter there, happy Easter to everyone as well, if its one you get into!
Great stuff Julie, thanks for showing us how you evolve, or the work evolves with a bit of thinking and expanding on whats possible with it…. always inspiring, yep going a bit crazy on the page/ canvas does help the image sometimes! the movement and vigor lifts it up and away more.
have a good week and a wonderful Easter there, happy Easter to everyone as well, if its one you get into!
i LOVE your final painting. it’s colorful and energetic – you can feel the movement in this piece! it’s great that you reworked it when you didn’t like what you had and challenged yourself to keep at it until you created the story you wanted to tell.
i LOVE your final painting. it’s colorful and energetic – you can feel the movement in this piece! it’s great that you reworked it when you didn’t like what you had and challenged yourself to keep at it until you created the story you wanted to tell.
i LOVE your final painting. it’s colorful and energetic – you can feel the movement in this piece! it’s great that you reworked it when you didn’t like what you had and challenged yourself to keep at it until you created the story you wanted to tell.
i LOVE your final painting. it’s colorful and energetic – you can feel the movement in this piece! it’s great that you reworked it when you didn’t like what you had and challenged yourself to keep at it until you created the story you wanted to tell.
i LOVE your final painting. it’s colorful and energetic – you can feel the movement in this piece! it’s great that you reworked it when you didn’t like what you had and challenged yourself to keep at it until you created the story you wanted to tell.
I really appreciate you taking pictures at various points in the evolution of the painting and your process. I learn so much from it! I especially got a kick out of toggling back and forth between the iterations where you said your instructor had suggested subtle changes. Subtle, indeed, and so interesting the difference made! “Paw-like”–you goofball, that made me giggle, lol!
I really appreciate you taking pictures at various points in the evolution of the painting and your process. I learn so much from it! I especially got a kick out of toggling back and forth between the iterations where you said your instructor had suggested subtle changes. Subtle, indeed, and so interesting the difference made! “Paw-like”–you goofball, that made me giggle, lol!
I really appreciate you taking pictures at various points in the evolution of the painting and your process. I learn so much from it! I especially got a kick out of toggling back and forth between the iterations where you said your instructor had suggested subtle changes. Subtle, indeed, and so interesting the difference made! “Paw-like”–you goofball, that made me giggle, lol!
I really appreciate you taking pictures at various points in the evolution of the painting and your process. I learn so much from it! I especially got a kick out of toggling back and forth between the iterations where you said your instructor had suggested subtle changes. Subtle, indeed, and so interesting the difference made! “Paw-like”–you goofball, that made me giggle, lol!
I really appreciate you taking pictures at various points in the evolution of the painting and your process. I learn so much from it! I especially got a kick out of toggling back and forth between the iterations where you said your instructor had suggested subtle changes. Subtle, indeed, and so interesting the difference made! “Paw-like”–you goofball, that made me giggle, lol!
Thanks for taking the time to share your process – I sometimes feel inhibited by smaller canvases…I like the way you made the models “your own”! I am learning a lot from this…thanks for breaking it down…
Thanks for taking the time to share your process – I sometimes feel inhibited by smaller canvases…I like the way you made the models “your own”! I am learning a lot from this…thanks for breaking it down…
Thanks for taking the time to share your process – I sometimes feel inhibited by smaller canvases…I like the way you made the models “your own”! I am learning a lot from this…thanks for breaking it down…
Thanks for taking the time to share your process – I sometimes feel inhibited by smaller canvases…I like the way you made the models “your own”! I am learning a lot from this…thanks for breaking it down…
Thanks for taking the time to share your process – I sometimes feel inhibited by smaller canvases…I like the way you made the models “your own”! I am learning a lot from this…thanks for breaking it down…
Definitely you made the work much more dynamic with your changes.
Definitely you made the work much more dynamic with your changes.
Definitely you made the work much more dynamic with your changes.
Definitely you made the work much more dynamic with your changes.
Definitely you made the work much more dynamic with your changes.
Love the transitons and progressions! Nice to let the canvas texture show through, too!
Love the transitons and progressions! Nice to let the canvas texture show through, too!
Love the transitons and progressions! Nice to let the canvas texture show through, too!
Love the transitons and progressions! Nice to let the canvas texture show through, too!
Love the transitons and progressions! Nice to let the canvas texture show through, too!
I love how you are not afraid to use lots of colour; I love that about your work
I love how you are not afraid to use lots of colour; I love that about your work
I love how you are not afraid to use lots of colour; I love that about your work
I love how you are not afraid to use lots of colour; I love that about your work
I love how you are not afraid to use lots of colour; I love that about your work
you’re so friggin talented. LOL
you’re so friggin talented. LOL
you’re so friggin talented. LOL
you’re so friggin talented. LOL
you’re so friggin talented. LOL
I especially like the hands and the colors that they are…warm and uniting the hearts of the couple.
I especially like the hands and the colors that they are…warm and uniting the hearts of the couple.
I especially like the hands and the colors that they are…warm and uniting the hearts of the couple.
I especially like the hands and the colors that they are…warm and uniting the hearts of the couple.
I especially like the hands and the colors that they are…warm and uniting the hearts of the couple.
Julie
I think your painting was great! You’re used to doing big faces. I would love to learn to draw for real. You have a lot of yearning to learn. Through you I am a little braver
Sherri Scott
Julie
I think your painting was great! You’re used to doing big faces. I would love to learn to draw for real. You have a lot of yearning to learn. Through you I am a little braver
Sherri Scott
Julie
I think your painting was great! You’re used to doing big faces. I would love to learn to draw for real. You have a lot of yearning to learn. Through you I am a little braver
Sherri Scott
Julie
I think your painting was great! You’re used to doing big faces. I would love to learn to draw for real. You have a lot of yearning to learn. Through you I am a little braver
Sherri Scott
Julie
I think your painting was great! You’re used to doing big faces. I would love to learn to draw for real. You have a lot of yearning to learn. Through you I am a little braver
Sherri Scott
We are always our own worst critics! The first thing I noticed was his hand, I love it, but I love a man’s hand. And that area that you showed up close by his leg, perfect! I love the changes you made, very nice!
We are always our own worst critics! The first thing I noticed was his hand, I love it, but I love a man’s hand. And that area that you showed up close by his leg, perfect! I love the changes you made, very nice!
We are always our own worst critics! The first thing I noticed was his hand, I love it, but I love a man’s hand. And that area that you showed up close by his leg, perfect! I love the changes you made, very nice!
We are always our own worst critics! The first thing I noticed was his hand, I love it, but I love a man’s hand. And that area that you showed up close by his leg, perfect! I love the changes you made, very nice!
We are always our own worst critics! The first thing I noticed was his hand, I love it, but I love a man’s hand. And that area that you showed up close by his leg, perfect! I love the changes you made, very nice!