Movement
Another graphite pencil drawing ‘Art Deco Nude – 23-08-22’, inspired by again a smashing picture by Walter Bird. The last drawing shows a seated lady. Contrasts are always on my mind though. Not in the style but in movement this time. What attracked me in the motif was the angular position of the female form. I am not sure whether she stood still like this but it looks like some ritual dance. I can ask my Spanish model Julia who is a dancer to strikes these kinds of poses. All induced by Walter!
Extrapolate Them
The bodily features almost took up a perfect square. However, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to end up with too much negative space around her. Therefor, extrapolating her features into the negative space came to my aid. The planes that are born from this process support the overall expression of her moves, I think. Some of them I hached up to complete darkness, other to midtones. Vice versa I did in the positive form as well. The most contrasting tonal values (completely light / dark) I placed within the body. I wanted only mildly distracting or diffuse the viewer’s attention. This way I found a perfect balance.
Emotional and Expressive
Someone on deviantart.com called my latest Art Deco drawings mechanical in some respects. But he also finds them emotional and expressive. That was exactly what I mean them to be. So I payed him a big compliment for his recognition. In addition I can state that I think these extrapolated planes also attribute to expression. As to this I realize I refer to earlier work such as The Birth of New Cubism – 01-05-14. Somehow I hope that these extrapolations are associated with the very organic structures they echo. It is as if they do not represent them and certainly you cannot recognize any extrapolated forms on their own. They merely are consequential. Perhaps they serve as residues lingering about in space for a while, supporting the bodily recognition.
Pitt Graphite Matt pencil (Faber-Castell) drawing on Hahnenmühle paper (24 x 31 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
