I started a new twist of work in August last year - a drawing together of two primary strands: pattern design and drawing the female figure.
At first I included some male figures (since there are occasionally male models in the rosta of online drawing sessions), but I realised I want to focus on the female.
Looking back at the first batch of resolved images, they look so much stiffer than the current output. I've loosened up and I'm happy about that. I have a very structured part of my brain and a flow part and I can really feel the switch between them. I like the feeling of choosing to let go but just keeping enough control to guide the image.
Channelling the JP swirls
I watched an interesting video the other day, about the restoration of a Jackson Pollock painting and it intrigued me. I've never been that interested in abstract expressionism but I'm now interested in this balance (or struggle) between order and disorder which creates energy in the work.
The painting was Mural 1943 and you can see it in this NYTimes article https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/arts/design/-pollock-mural-guggenheim-drip.html
I spontaneously drew this recently and when I saw the Pollock, I recognised the same swirl pattern. The figure is rather stiff in this one but I do like the power and fluidity of the pattern. And the uncompromising colours which undercut the prettiness.
Looser
Unloose / non loose / less loose
