Female Torso Study

by David R. Darrow
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.78cm)
Oil on Canvas Panel
SOLD
Collection of Louise Zeigler
Arlington, WA – USA

About This Painting

I have to admit, I like painting from a model more than plein air landscapes, or seascapes.

For me, painting the figure comes more naturally, or maybe I am just more practiced with human anatomy. From the time I was in high school, I had a drive to capture likenesses and draw humans well. And I still consider it a massive challenge.

Nearly always, painting from a nude model has involved painting with other artists — maintaining focus before your peers adds to the challenge. There were 10 or 12 other painters painting this same model, from different angles of, course.

The model assumed this "pose" quite readily. I kind of mock the pose, because really she just sat down on the futon/couch with a bookshelf on her right casting a shadow on her. And that was her "pose." We did convince her to move more into the light.

My first reaction was that such a simple pose was going to make for a lousy painting, but as I got into it with the various warm shadows and slight differences in modeling with color, I began to feel a freedom with my brushes that was unexpected.

Choosing a 5 x 7 format in keeping with my usual Everyday Paintings size, I thought painting a figure in such a small area would be constricting. But I wanted the challenge. I started putting in my more finishing touches in the face, first (the face, from chin to hairline is only 1.75" (4.4cm) tall).

Since it was coming out nicely, and a good likeness, I continued and was delighted to find at the end of the two and a half hours that I had a very nice little figure study for my effort.

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