Expressionism in Painting and Drawing

                                                                                         

Just the other day, someone asked me... why dont I ever "finish" a drawing?

Hmmm. Now that's a can of worms....

Let's define "finishing" as I think it is being referred to in the question:

* making more into a representational and realistic image, placing hands and feet where they should go, making proportions as they "should" be, shading (values) in the "right" places....

When I am drawing....
When I am drawing, my goal is not to be technically correct. My goal is to capture the essence of the person in front of me. To tap into their inner beauty, their inner thoughts and feelings, to see "who" they are, and somehow merge that with "who" I am. It is a true junction of soul to soul. Free and loose allows me to do this. Free and loose rejects any confines, it rejects rules and requirements.

Free and loose is fabulous!
The marks arrange themselves on the paper as they wish with a small amount of control from me. The only thing that exists is the black marks that appear as the charcoal is guided across the page.

Have you seen my tools?
Of course, I use some pretty big honkin' charcoal and graphite so that I do not confine myself...

The charcoal is as thick as the graphite, about an inch and a half, and is the size of my hand. It is very condensed, yet I can still produce a line fine enough to delineate the most delicate shape. I get very very dirty during the life drawing sessions, black is on my face, up my arms and the charcoal will not come out of my hands for a day, regardless of how much silicon I put on as a barrier. That part is a little frustrating.

The paper I use is fairly large these days. The largest I have drawn on, is printmaker Stonehenge, about 50 inches by 38 inches. I have not shown these works to many people, just the folks that come to the Livessence drawing sessions.

Sensuality
Free and loose: not everyone can do that, just as not everyone can be technically competent. Maybe I should say, not everyone can let free and loose stand as the final work. Me, I love the purity of that stage....the mystery, the suspense, and the sensuality of the lack of detail. It is like the nude in the oil painting or charcoal drawing is wearing a misty negligee.

Marks on Paper
I am not a photo-realist by choice. It is a very valid artform, and, sure, it gives me a charge when I do this work. But, my love is in spontaneaity and surprise. I draw fairly quickly, most works are created in about five minutes time. The time gives me no thought for choices, or conscious decisions. I just draw. The charcoal or graphite marks the paper, it is free flowing and full of life. I no longer give titles. This year, all my work is called Marks on Paper, for this very reason.

Finishing
This brings me back to finishing. I consider a work "finished", when it tells me, "okay, I can't take any more charcoal or graphite". Yes, I am told when to back off, and usually I listen. The times I don't, well, let's just say the work isn't above telling me "I told you so."

Hope you enjoyed this article! If you have any questions, please contact me, or you may visit my homepage.

About the author:
Julia Trops
Canadian Artist
Specializing in the Classical Sensual Female Nude

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