Auguste Rodin, A Study for Ariane without Arms, ca.1905

“True artists are almost the only men who do their work for pleasure.”

His approach and philosophy is explained at length in his book The Science of Appearances, published in 1950.

Notice how structural and deliberate Meldrums brush-strokes are, an approach that compares closely to the discipline of drawing with straight lines. He simplifies his value structure down to the bare minimum required to express the form and character of the sitters head. The shapes he makes with the brush are incisive, carefully observed and considered.

Graeme Inson (1923–2000)- Max Meldrum, 1951 

 Inson was one Meldrums most talented students. In this portrait of his mentor, he elaborates on the structured impressionism that defines the school.

]]> http://drawpaintsculpt.com/blog/max-meldrum-and-the-australian-tonalists-economical-painting/feed/ 0 http://drawpaintsculpt.com/blog/drawing-of-the-week-19/ http://drawpaintsculpt.com/blog/drawing-of-the-week-19/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 21:43:42 +0000 drawpaintsculpt http://drawpaintsculpt.com/?p=13722

Lord Frederic Leighton, Drawing of a Lemon Tree, silverpoint on paper.

Drawn at Capri in the spring of 1859

“…two perfect early drawings, are of a Lemon Tree, and another of the same date, of a Byzantine Well, which determine for you without appeal the question respecting necessity of delineation as the first skill of a painter.”

-John Ruskin

Sight to Size App

Chemical Composition: Cadmium sulfo-selenide

Cadmium was first discovered in 1817, by the German chemist Friedrich Stromeyer. Selenium, an essential component in the manufacture of Cadmium Red was discovered in the same year by the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelus. It was not until the early 20th century that Cadmium Red was widely manufactured as an artists’ colour.

Cadmiums are opaque, lightfast, high chroma paints with good film strength, and make relatively slow driers. There are a wide variety of Cadmium reds and oranges available; care should be taken in selecting the right hue for flesh painting. The pigment is often used as a substitute for Vermilion, especially in watercolour painting. It’s considerably more powerful than reds that predate its introduction, and needs to be handled carefully when meeting the relatively low chroma demands of painting flesh. It does enlarge the range of the limited palette past what is attainable with a dull red however. Cadmium is a heavy metal and is therefore toxic; although the amount of soluble cadmium in most paints is negligible, they should still be handled with care.

Auguste Rodin - Victor Hugo, Three-Quarter View, 1885

This print was worked up from a series of rapid studies made during a period in which Rodin was given permission to be present in Victor Hugo’s residence in order to create a portrait bust. Hugo refused to sit formally, Rodin was merely allowed to set up a modelling stand in the corner of the room and required to maintain an unobtrusive presence as the author worked. It’s one of a number of preliminary studies made in preparation for the final sculpture.

“There are few human skills which don’t improve with practice.”