Scum Choir

Drawing What Doesn't Exist: the Maquette Video

Added 2023-12-10 21:33:52 +0000 UTC

This video is about my early experience of making maquettes and drawing them, the thought process behind why I started doing this, Facing uncomfortable truths about your art, and making it fun for yourself so that you can get into the process.

I should say that I know nothing about sculpting and this isn't a how to video about sculpting or making a maquette. It's about creative process.

I talk about James Gurney's account of the painter Federico Barroci's process.

After he had an idea for the painting, He would draw dozens of rough sketches to decide the gesture and arrangement, then do sketches from live models with charcoal, then make tiny maquettes with little costumes and see how they looked under different lighting conditions, Then he'd do a compositional study in gouache or oil, a full size tonal study, transfer that to the canvas, and before moving on to the final painting, he'd do small oil studies to figure out the color relationships, then he'd paint the finished painting.

If you're anything like me, you respect the commitment, but that process is way too meticulous. and might even sound like it takes some of the magic out of art, right?

Well, I came to the realization that I need to be a little more like Barocci. I don't think I could do that whole process, but I at least need to start taking some of those steps in my art to get to where I want to go with it.

Your goals with your art may be different than mine, and creating reference material to work from may not be applicable to you. But I still think this video might have something to offer. Because its not so much about how to build a maquette as it is about trying new things, making things fun and interesting for self, facing your art fears, and stuff like that.

Happy December 10th Everybody!

I overdosed on socializing last night. It was the Hive Christmas party at the gallery. A lot of artists showed up. People I see throughout the year, but never really see all at once.

I drank four Diet Cokes.

I talked to a guy from Santa Fe, New Mexico who is a mystical healer/priest. He just got a new van. He was pretty excited about that.

I talked to a guy who collects "the fool" tarot card paintings.

I talked to my friends David and Diane about their trip to Salem Massachusetts. They witnessed a group of Christian activists yelling at a coven of witches that they are going to hell. David liked the clam Chowder in Salem. Diane is a vegetarian so didn't try it. Neither one of them liked the tacos there.

I talked to my friend Brenda about the Frida Kahlo Opera she went and saw before the party, her sparkly dress, her cute cat, and how my favorite drawing of hers sold at a show recently.

I talked to Brenda's sister Yvette about her ceramics art show and how she spilled hot soup on a customer when she worked at Norms.

I talked to the other Brenda about financial scams.

I talked to Frankie about how to make miniature costumes.

I talked to Yamz about the film Chinatown.

I ate a cupcake.

I talked about the under appreciated poop jokes in the Canterbury Tales with someone.

I talked about Black Metal and Psychology with someone. She plays the harp. She was assaulted recently. She was in an abusive relationship. One of her pets passed away recently.

She told me about the trauma all this has caused and how it's made her anxious and unable to trust people. And how it was a big deal for her to be out in public.

I told her that she's strong for being out in public like this. And that I respect her for facing her fears like that.

I ate a Raspberry Tart.

For my secret Santa gift, I ended up giving:

-a 3 pack Micron fine liner pigma pen set

-a Winsor and Newton watercolor travel set

-a sketchbook with my art on it

-some stickers

-some Oreo Pocky sticks.

The gift I got was a set of Crayola oil pastels.

My friend Paoling gave me a rock that was painted like a bee. I gave her a gel pen. She makes Jello shots every year and they are legendary.

My friend Jesse gave me this painting: