Page 25 - International Artist2 110

Painting Candid

Portraits in the Wild

James Gurney hunts for human subjects outside the studio

ainting portraits from life takes on a new these conditions is I can catch them doing when I return to the studio.
Pintensity when your subject is talking believable, characteristic actions rather than Here are the stories of a few such
and moving around. People who aren’t self- the dull expressions and arti cial poses encounters. I’ll share the challenges as well

consciously posing are like wild animals in that often occur with models posing in the as the strategies I use to overcome them.

their natural habitat. ey are alive, engaged studio. e practice solidi es my eye-hand Wherever you see a video symbol, scan the
and elusive. connections and sharpens my memory skills QR code and you can parachute into the

e reason I love to paint people under so I can paint faster and more accurately moment to see the sketch being made.

Sacred Harp Singing, casein, 5 x 8" (13 x 20 cm)
It’s Saturday in the city hall of Holyoke, Massachusetts. I set up my sketch easel on the sidelines of a Sacred Harp singing event. Singers from more than
six states come to practice this old-fashioned musical tradition. I zero in on a couple of altos who I hope will stay in the same relative positions. What
I don’t realize is that these singers like to change seats and move around between songs. When my subject moves or when my view is blocked by

someone, I switch to someone else. Casein is opaque and quick drying, so I can just paint over passages that don’t work out the first time.

24 www.InternationalArtist.com

Station Points_110.indd 24 6/28/16 5:11 PM