JASPER the Weimaraner
8” x 8” oil on canvas
Sometimes the silhouette of an animal can say just as much about it as a portrait. It can speak more of their body shape, muscle tone, posture and the way they move.
I remember, (many years ago!) doing an A-level ‘life-drawing class’… I was pretty happy with my drawing, the proportions looked right and I’d got the whole figure in the page….but the teacher paused and said “you have caught nothing of the ’twist’ in this pose- that’s what it was all about!” I was deflated - but it has stayed with me- it’s not just about proportion, or getting the shading right - you need to find a way to capture a movement and make your picture feel dynamic. That’s what I was aiming for here - the sudden pause and the twist…
It’s good to have a break from the norm - this was done on canvas rather than my usual ‘board’…it was so much more forgiving on the mark making and really nice to be able to blend the brushstrokes. It was also refreshing to do a simple tonal study using just Paynes grey and Titanium White. AKA: Grisaille (/ɡrɪˈzaɪ/ ) - a painting executed entirely in shades of grey.