Yuko Nasu
0108 Oil and charcoal on canvas 35 x30″ (Saatchi Art, s.d). This is a haunting distorted portrait. You can see she has removed paint for the eyes and mouth with either a rag or brush. I think the removing paint for these key features creates the haunting feeling. Theres a figure of 8 movement in the brush work for the face which is not even adding to the distorting notion. The eyes also sit unevenly. The brushwork is often sweeping and clearly visible. The surface and paint supports this type of brushwork. The eyes draw the focus in the middle of the 8. Looks like the person is wearing a yellow scarf but I think the yellow is the ground and a darker brown was painted on top for the face. It reminds me of a scarecrow. Circles used in the distortion of parts of the face are common in her paintings. Its interesting that she is able to distort and remove key features of the portrait yet keep the character. There is a feeling its not completely finished with the edges of the portrait. Look at what type of solvent I can use to remove paint on different surfaces in similar way.
Eleanor Moreton
Painted a series of famous dead heroes. Nina (simone) 61x50cm oil on birch panel 2014 (Moreton, 2014). Paints simple marks to capture the key facial features particularly for the eyebrow and lips. Paints the background dark leaving the face the colour and texture of the wood which is also dark. The only colour used in the eyes and lips and earrings immediately capture the eye. There’s a larger brush used for most and a small detail brush for lips and eyes. It feels imposing and strong despite a thinly applied paint. Whilst this is a portrait the crop includes upper body with the head taking a very small part of the surface. The wood surface shows through on the body which adds texture with a direction along the body.
Kim Edwards
Painted a series on the Suffolk coast, producing atmospheric landscapes. Sizewell I 2014 (Edwards, 2014), monotype. Uses a limited palette. More paint than the other artists. Feels oppressive. Strong skies with heavy cloud, a looming storm. Very simple. Theres movement in the way the brushwork crisscrosses the sky and beach suggesting wind. The eye is drawn along the beach to the power station. Breaking waves are clearly visible and may have been from removing paint before printing. It seems a medium sized brush was used for most and possibly a small detail brush for the waves and power station. Its not clear what was painted on after printing because the paint on the dark areas seems to be the same value although part of the sky seems more solid and less likely to be a result of printing.
Annie Kevans
Shakira (Kevans, 2006) painted as part of a series of girls. Thinned oils on canvas, very effective expressive portraits. Most of the body is painted with very pale colours and eyes, mouth and bra are painted strongly making them stand out. They eyes are drawn to the bra and then up to the face. A large brush is used to paint most of the body with a small brush used for the eyes, nose, mouth. She is very efficient and economical with the brush marks. Reminds me of simple marker pen drawings.
Kim Baker
Floral Landscape 150cm x 120cm oil on canvas 2017 (Baker, 2017)
Landscape view of a bunch of flowers shown in centre. Various colour flowers and green leaves painted with swirling brushwork. Dark background contrasted with the light coloured flowers makes them glow. She uses a very large brush to paint the flowers loaded with multiple colours producing streaks of colour. Each is painted on top overlapping previous petals or leaves. Each stroke seems to flow back into the painting. The background is painted with straight vertical strokes.
Alli Sharma
Ingrid 3 (A Kind of Loving), 2014, oil on canvas, 50x40cm (Sharma, 2014)
Portrait view of a movie actress who starred in a black and white movie. The choice of black paint therefore seems appropriate to capture something from the past. The eye is drawn to the profile of the woman by the sharp contrast and clean simple features (just below the middle). The brush work is clearly important because every stroke is clearly visible. Thinned oil paint is used, you can see where excessive solvent has run. The oil has maintained the brushwork which suggests another medium was added and or the surface was treated to make it less absorbent. The strokes have varying intensity, and movement. Various brush sizes used with largest for background, hair and clothes and cheeks. Smaller brush for marks on clothes and facial features.
Geraldine Swayne, David Blomberg, Marlene Dumas
Diego Velesquez, Edouard Manet,
References
Baker, Kim. (2017) Floral Landscape. At: http://www.kimbaker.co.uk/portfolio.php Accessed on:24/8/17
Edwards, Kim. (2014) Sizewell I. At: http://www.kimedwardsartist.com/photo_13550825.html Accessed on:24/8/17
Kevans, Annie. (2006) Shakira. At: http://www.anniekevans.com/girls?lightbox=dataItem-ijyuviy3 Accessed on:24/8/17
Moreton, Eleanor. (2014) Asent Friends: Nina. At: https://eleanor-moreton.squarespace.com/new-page-24 Accessed on:24/8/17
Saatchi Art. (s.d) 0108 Painting by Yuko Nasu. At:https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-0108/25573/1676080/view Accessed on:24/8/17
Sharma, Alli. (2014) Ingrid 3. At: http://www.allisharma.com/allisharma/Paintings.html#16 Accessed on:24/8/17