Character sketching exercises2

This painting was created in 2017. This year I spent more time thinking about art in sketching courses, which also caused a disconnect between my color painting and sketching. I am more bold in looking for the core of Chinese culture in sketches, even though I still know very little about traditional Chinese culture. However, I am more conservative when it comes to color painting.

Overall Size: /
Size without the frame: /
Country: China
Date: 2017
Materials: on paper
Condition: well preserved

Creative themes and style | My works revolve around the creative concept of "The land of humanity, People on the land". The people in the painting are people in nature, and the lines, shapes, and colors are close to nature. The nature in the painting is nature in the eyes of humans, existing in interaction with humans.I don’t pursue a series of works with a fixed and continuous style. I hope that the style of the pictures will synchronize with the changes in my life and always remain oscillating. The performance of the work must be in sync with the development of one's own life in order to be Sincere and powerful. Ideas are later.

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Reference view

This sketch constructs a thought - provoking artistic space with a unique visual language. In terms of modeling, the outlining of the figure’s contours and clothing folds abandons the precise reproduction of realism and has the deformed characteristics of expressionism. Similar to the breakthrough of conventional forms in the figures painted by Chaim Soutine, it uses slightly distorted lines to strengthen the transmission of inner emotions.

The composition follows the principle of simplicity and focus. The figure is at the core of the picture, and the hazy background around weakens environmental interference, allowing the viewer’s eyes to naturally focus on the subject. This is similar to the composition of the lonely subject in Edward Hopper’s paintings. By leaving blank and constricting the space, it magnifies the spiritual presence of the figure.

The use of color is extremely restrained. Only gray is used as the base and warm brown as the lines. The layered arrangement of a single color system is very similar to Giorgio Morandi’s delicate play with grayscale in his paintings. It explores rich visual layers in simplicity and creates a melancholy and restrained atmosphere.

The brushwork is the soul thread of the picture. The loose and rhythmic lines, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, have both the simplicity of sketch language and imply the writing charm of Oriental ink painting. Just like Edgar Degas’ pastel paintings, it endows the figure with a sense of movement and volume through the virtual and real, thick and thin brushstrokes, giving the static modeling a breathing rhythm.

The content and theme focus on the inner gaze of the individual. The figure’s posture of bowing and focusing seems to be having a dialogue with oneself. The vague form beside (either a pet or an object) adds ambiguity to the narrative and expands the interpretation dimension of the theme — is it meditation when alone or a spiritual connection with the surroundings?

The emotional expression is hidden in the folds of grayscale and lines. There is loneliness in tranquility and confusion in concentration. Just like the spiritual dilemma often shown in Edvard Munch’s works, however, it is presented in a more restrained way here. It allows viewers to empathize with that modern spiritual fold among the brushstrokes of interwoven gray and brown, and touch the gentle inquiry of art into the subtlety of human nature.

Character sketching exercises5

Just like Auguste Rodin’s sketches, it uses lines as a language to tell the tension and vitality of the form.

Portrait sketching exercises

Similar to Pietro Annigoni’s strict control of the body structure in sketches, it restores the real texture with delicate brushstrokes. Wrinkles and sideburns all hide the traces of time.