Institute of Academic Realism-Mattelson
 

I hope you have read my lengthy "And then there was Marvin" post in the Cafe, before continuing on to read about my latest workshop.


Marvin not having the luxury of a fine art background started with an extremely successful (speaking as an art director here) career in illustration. This made him one of the most astute "detailists" that I have ever met. It also gave him them gumption for self-promotion. His illustration stories will make you laugh like crazy.

As he told us, he didn

I apoligize for the image being so dark, I thought I had corrected this.

Here is the close up of her face:

Here is an extreme close-up of her face.

The oil was painted 24" x 18".

Here is a close-up of the hands. I really knocked back the chroma and detail in the receding hands.

Here is an extreme close up of the left hand, I keep the detail simple but the colors more intense.

Just for likeness reference, I shot a quick black and white of our model Crystal.

We had three different models in the studio, and all worked from just one. This gave everyone a pretty good view. At first I was disappointed to have the profile again, but since I was doing more of a figure I think it came out nicely.

I hope others will now join in and show their work too! I will also get a web page up at my site this week so you can see more photos from the workshop. I will also try to post Marvin's demo.

Nice work Beth! Marvin has done you some real good it seems. :)

Thanks for posting this, Beth. Nice job, especially on the color.

Can you tell us what measuring tools Marvin uses? I've just begun to use some myself and find they really help me.

Beth,

Your painting looks great! And I have to say that Crystal, your model, is expecting a baby and had a pillow behind her back. :)

Renee

Thanks Beth for that posting and as I had told you at the workshop, I still think it is a great job done. I will need to develop my film soon to show mine of Crystal, that is if I get the nerve.

My experience with Marvin at the workshop has been one of absolute joy. Not only is Marvin a wonderfully funny, witty, charismatic person, he is also quite knowledgeable about the sharing and teaching process. To paint beautifullly and to teach well are attributes that not all possess who venture into this field of fine art. My hat is off to Marvin and I will indeed wish to study with him again. At least until I can conquer that palette of his. So-o-o- vibrant and luminescent.

I want to say a huge thanks to Renee and Denise for a job well done. I know this was a large undertaking and very stressful at times but I for one appreciate your gracious planning and hope we can do it again soon.

The highlight of my workshop was finally meeting those from this Forum with whom I have communicated for over a year now. But I must admit that the final stress factor was being placed between Beth and Tom Edgerton as we painted the model. Talk about intimidation of painting but I made it through and thank my lucky stars to have been part of it.