What's your preferred medium for the human figure?

DanaT · #1 03-09-2004, 01:43 PM

Does the time spent on the work matter to what medium you choose?

Explain your reasons.

For me, short poses seem to require charcoal and lots of it. Charcoal pencil, for working in line and hatching, vine charcoal and compressed charcoal if I want mass shading.

For extended work, I've tried charcoal, conte, pastel, even graphite but oil provides the look of realism I want early enough in the process to keep me going.

DanaT · #2 03-09-2004, 01:48 PM

Follow up question:

Is the medium you selected also your favorite medium for other subjects? Enquiring minds want to know.

Rosic · #3 03-09-2004, 02:33 PM

I voted "Vine Charcoal" but my preferred medium is a combination of vine and compressed charcoal and soft pastels. I haven't had the opportunity to work in a life class but think I would stick to this combo. I like the shading I can easily render with the charcoals and chalk.

Of late... I have been working with oils and am loving them so much I've put everything else on the back burner for now.

Great thread Dana!

Bernie

DanaT · #4 03-09-2004, 02:47 PM

Yes, Bern, charcoal has its advantages. Too bad its so easy to smudge. Its my favorite for capturing those fleeting impressions in the short poses.

Oh I forgot to add, you can vote for more than one choice.

sandge · #5 03-09-2004, 05:48 PM

Pastel is my medium of choice. I have used it for years and feel I have sufficient control that I can make creative decisions as I go.

I still use pastels for very short poses (anything under 10 mins). However, I am finding for practical reasons and popularity with buyers, that I have had to move into using watercolour. And I am beginning to quite like it although it is a struggle. I think I might be turning into a watercolourist. Having said that, I doubt it would be my first choice for other subjects.

Allen Carter · #6 03-09-2004, 07:14 PM

I like pen and ink for any and every thing, next I like oils for their color and lasting qualities, and then pencil.

Allen

DanaT · #7 03-10-2004, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandge

However, I am finding for practical reasons and popularity with buyers, that I have had to move into using watercolour. And I am beginning to quite like it although it is a struggle. I think I might be turning into a watercolourist.

Hmm, Sandra. Is that practicality any way related to shipping your artwork? I can imagine that pastels would be problematic.

I think you're already a watercolorist.

Pen and ink, one medium I didn't think of, Allen. That has to be a big change from oils.

Funny, no acrylicists (sp?) as of yet.

Sam Cree · #8 03-16-2004, 07:53 AM

"Pastel is my medium of choice. I have used it for years and feel I have sufficient control that I can make creative decisions as I go. "[/i]

<P>I like pastels too. I generally use pastel, 2 colors, for quick poses, 1 minute up to 15 minutes. For longer poses I switch to charcoal pencils most of the time, though I sometimes will stay with pastel.

dex · #9 11-18-2005, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaT

Follow up question:

Is the medium you selected also your favorite medium for other subjects? Enquiring minds want to know.

Hi Dana,my favourite (which got my vote!

),is graphite pencil's mainly 2B,6B,I think with this medium you can get more detail,and shading!,but am now contemplating acrylic's,and I think once I get in the mood,there will be no stopping me!

(just have to get in the right frame of mind

),and that's easier said than done!

dex

kymbo · #10 03-11-2004, 05:50 AM

Another wonderful thread Dana
At life drawing, :
30 sec- 5min Its Charcoal and black conte
10 - 20 min anything that produces strong colour

I have a card table, with every thing out before i start,
pastel, acrylic and ink .20 assorted brushes, big and small pallets, rags, spounges, naturally the big drop sheet
Love useing Ink in life drawing, you must try it Dana.

DanaT · #11 03-11-2004, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kymbo

Love useing Ink in life drawing, you must try it Dana.

Now that you mention it that way, I do believe I did some 1 and 5 minutes with ink and a feather quill. It was wild, the teacher was very experimental and encouraged us to use the feather side of the quill for texture. Other mediums were ink and coffee sticks.

Also now that you mention it, I don't beleive you've posted your 1s and 5s. At least, I haven't seen any charcoal or black conte from you. We'd love to see them.

alyona100 · #12 03-15-2004, 11:54 AM

I never had the luxury of more than 20-30 min with a model, usually the poses are between 10 and 20 min, so I guess charcoal and conte pencils are my tools of choice. I tried watercolours recently, which is very demanding

but challenging - for lack of time I have to paint without first sketching oulines with erasable pencil, so I am using either just WC and painting with a brush or start with a WC pencil and continue with WC. I add a bit of ink later, for it allows for quick contrast - I have no time to let WC dry and add layers. in short, I am still at my experimenting phase and enjoy it immensely. My dream is to try oils but so far..impossible. Well, some time in the future!

pastelpalms · #13 03-18-2004, 12:46 PM

I use pastels for most of my paintings. When I do a portrait I will start start with a tone of Conte that will allow me to over paint the outline and measurements that I have just put down. I will also work with a combination of hard Nupastel and soft Rembrandt, using Conte for the fine areas, blending with a stump or finger.

The oter reasons that I favor pastel is that the medium does not fade and will not crack or discolor over time; thus, what you have put down stays down for decades for others to enjoy. I do not use any fixer on my pastel works because I find that it will change the value of the work and loose the desired effect that I have worked to achieve. What I do instead of fixer is have a frame ready to go when I have finished a work and put it under glass asap.

Another reason I like pastel is the clean-up, almost no mess. Once dropped an oil in progreess on the livingroom rug and wife was fit to be tied.

possum4all · #14 03-18-2004, 05:36 PM

Allen,
I posted a very similar question weeks ago here:

Check out some of the answers I got....

Great question. After recently wrapping up a series of Life Drawing gatherings for our local Arts Association, I have found that charcoal works well for quick sketches. Then I'll move to graphite for long poses and extended drawing sessions.

-Steven

Egon · #15 03-23-2004, 01:06 PM

I dont care about - I want to improve all of them , so I use all of them exept oil
Doing figure from life I start most of the time with pencil but I change permanent -- so I didnt vote

View Poll Results: What's your preferred medium for the human figure?
charcoal - vine	62	18.62%
charcoal pencil	48	14.41%
graphite	69	20.72%
pastel/Conte	92	27.63%
oil	87	26.13%
acrylic	24	7.21%
watercolor	31	9.31%
other	36	10.81%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 333. You may not vote on this poll

Salute to our Partners