I’m not sure if this comparison works, but as a sculptor, when I’m stuck in the studio I seem to build boxes or cubes - somehow this simple shape and the action of making it always leads yo something... nothing worse than a blank canvas!
I think that comparison does work! And that's interesting to know. I think of the first drawings like lumps of clay, you have to have something to work with, don't you!
Such a good exercise! This isn’t something I’ve thought to do since school (where I remember making painstaking copies of Joan Eardley paintings in oil pastels, not at all the same as these amazing pastiches) but I love what you said about learning colour from it. Got to try again. Also digital colouring which I really have a hard time with for some reason.
My go-to for stuck moments used to be collage but now more often drawing games, especially if I can rope someone else in to play. Using other people’s pictures as starting points for some kind of story seems to work well.
I didn't know Joan Eardley's work, but looking them up I can see how they lend themselves to copies in oil pastels - was she a favourite painter of yours? That's interesting you struggle with digital colouring, for me it's a life saver as you can try endless variations until it looks right - I find I have little intuitive colour sense.
I love drawing games too! It'd be great to have a group to do this with regularly!
Don't you think the word pastiche sounds like it should be a french baked confectionery? Please pass the pastiche? I'm currently a tad stuck when it comes to things that aren't uni related. I've been looking at some September prompts but I know I'll not manage more than a couple and then will be bored of it and berate myself. Not a fun prospect. What to dooooooo. 🤔
Yes it does - maybe also it's so similar to pastis, which I'm not sure I've ever tried!
I know about the feeling stuck. What helps me is to follow my interest at the time - you say you do a couple of prompts and then get bored, but I'm not sure that matters. If you get even one or two pictures out of a prompt, that's great - it's arbitrary how long those challenges go on for. Is there a subject matter or technique at the moment that feels exciting, that you could follow?
Love love love these Tor, and you do them so well! You’ve inspired me to try this again. Like Becky, (you might remember?) I used to painstakingly copy old drawings and paintings, I remember doing Degas, Botticelli, Leonardo etc and I do think it was a really helpful part of my training!
Bloody love these! I've never tried working on a pastiche but I'm going to now! Just got to work out what/who... Maybe the Night Flight to Venus gatefold album artwork (definitely showing my age now)!
Thank you Nicola! Hahahaaa I just looked up the Night Flight to Venus album cover, you've set yourself a tough one there - foreshortening nightmare ;-) !!! I did one of Huey Lewis and the News's Sports - pretty badly too!! Boney M rule, and the 70s and 80s rule, and so do we! If you do make it, I'd love to see!
Love these dude – I particularly loved your flower fairies. And your film posters (though maybe that's a slightly different thing?) – as you know I have your Trading Places on my bathroom wall!
Thanks dude - no I reckon those definitely fall into the same category, and I forgot to put them here! I did a really horrifying one of the line up from Young Guns too, going to look that out!😘
These are brilliant Tor.. a great read and look! Similarly, I sometimes use old photos or paintings to help with either composition, posture or colour decisions. I sometimes struggle with backgrounds and borrowing/adapting(?) from other sources often helps.
Thanks Jason! That's such a good point, and I've used that too!! I struggle with all those things too, and it can be great inspiration/fodder to use those sources. Harry Bliss the cartoonist posts sometimes about using compositions from existing paintings for his cartoons, it works so well!
I loved every second of this post! I have to go and grab a "tissot" now for the tears of beauty running down my face! I love your take on the Frazatta and the Vallotton... honestly, all of them. Your fairy! :) Thank you for sharing.
I’m not sure if this comparison works, but as a sculptor, when I’m stuck in the studio I seem to build boxes or cubes - somehow this simple shape and the action of making it always leads yo something... nothing worse than a blank canvas!
I think that comparison does work! And that's interesting to know. I think of the first drawings like lumps of clay, you have to have something to work with, don't you!
Such a good exercise! This isn’t something I’ve thought to do since school (where I remember making painstaking copies of Joan Eardley paintings in oil pastels, not at all the same as these amazing pastiches) but I love what you said about learning colour from it. Got to try again. Also digital colouring which I really have a hard time with for some reason.
My go-to for stuck moments used to be collage but now more often drawing games, especially if I can rope someone else in to play. Using other people’s pictures as starting points for some kind of story seems to work well.
I didn't know Joan Eardley's work, but looking them up I can see how they lend themselves to copies in oil pastels - was she a favourite painter of yours? That's interesting you struggle with digital colouring, for me it's a life saver as you can try endless variations until it looks right - I find I have little intuitive colour sense.
I love drawing games too! It'd be great to have a group to do this with regularly!
100 % yes! Is there such a group? If not why not?! Perhaps we could start one..
Don't you think the word pastiche sounds like it should be a french baked confectionery? Please pass the pastiche? I'm currently a tad stuck when it comes to things that aren't uni related. I've been looking at some September prompts but I know I'll not manage more than a couple and then will be bored of it and berate myself. Not a fun prospect. What to dooooooo. 🤔
Yes it does - maybe also it's so similar to pastis, which I'm not sure I've ever tried!
I know about the feeling stuck. What helps me is to follow my interest at the time - you say you do a couple of prompts and then get bored, but I'm not sure that matters. If you get even one or two pictures out of a prompt, that's great - it's arbitrary how long those challenges go on for. Is there a subject matter or technique at the moment that feels exciting, that you could follow?
Glorious pastiches! Maybe your pastiche is the original, and Tissot and all were inspired by Tor?
😂 I like this thinking Clem. I did see ole Tissot looking over my shoulder a few weeks back, the absolute robber!
Love love love these Tor, and you do them so well! You’ve inspired me to try this again. Like Becky, (you might remember?) I used to painstakingly copy old drawings and paintings, I remember doing Degas, Botticelli, Leonardo etc and I do think it was a really helpful part of my training!
Thanks Els!! I remember you doing copies too, and you were brilliant at them!! Haha if only we were still doing And Next We Draw... ;-) xx
Bloody love these! I've never tried working on a pastiche but I'm going to now! Just got to work out what/who... Maybe the Night Flight to Venus gatefold album artwork (definitely showing my age now)!
Thank you Nicola! Hahahaaa I just looked up the Night Flight to Venus album cover, you've set yourself a tough one there - foreshortening nightmare ;-) !!! I did one of Huey Lewis and the News's Sports - pretty badly too!! Boney M rule, and the 70s and 80s rule, and so do we! If you do make it, I'd love to see!
I just had to Google the cover of Sports! I hope you were Huey at the front!
Love these dude – I particularly loved your flower fairies. And your film posters (though maybe that's a slightly different thing?) – as you know I have your Trading Places on my bathroom wall!
Thanks dude - no I reckon those definitely fall into the same category, and I forgot to put them here! I did a really horrifying one of the line up from Young Guns too, going to look that out!😘
Your wonderful work put a big smile on my face this morning...thank you!
Thank you for saying so, I'm so glad!
These are brilliant Tor.. a great read and look! Similarly, I sometimes use old photos or paintings to help with either composition, posture or colour decisions. I sometimes struggle with backgrounds and borrowing/adapting(?) from other sources often helps.
Thanks Jason! That's such a good point, and I've used that too!! I struggle with all those things too, and it can be great inspiration/fodder to use those sources. Harry Bliss the cartoonist posts sometimes about using compositions from existing paintings for his cartoons, it works so well!
I loved every second of this post! I have to go and grab a "tissot" now for the tears of beauty running down my face! I love your take on the Frazatta and the Vallotton... honestly, all of them. Your fairy! :) Thank you for sharing.