Pleased with this...

DocfosterDocfoster
in Other stuff
...so want to share it.
It's inspired by Fantin-Latour's 'Homage to Delacriox'.
But mine's called 'Homage to Individual Agency'. A self-reminder of my hope that I can liberate myself from bullshit: external, doctrinal and internal.
It's possible that a few of the faces may be recognisable to some of you. Others, less so...
Basically it's my ideal dinner party. :-D
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Comments

  • AlanAlan
    You drew this? That's amazing, Ben! A piece worthy of its meaning.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Cool, Ben.

    I think I've got a couple of the faces...
  • AlanAlan
    edited January 2020
    uglymusic said:
    Cool, Ben.

    I think I've got a couple of the faces...
    Didn't see Rod Stewart's face in there..?
  • AntiCrapAntiCrap
    So I am hiding behind the sofa.  :D
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Come on out, Col. They're a friendly bunch.
  • AntiCrapAntiCrap
    No Darwin will dissect me, and remove my Sinclair Micro.

  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Alan said:
    You drew this? That's amazing, Ben! A piece worthy of its meaning.
    Thanks Alan. :-)
    I’ve started an FdA course in fine arts this year. So getting lots of opportunity to draw. 
  • DocfosterDocfoster

    uglymusic said:
    Cool, Ben.

    I think I've got a couple of the faces...
    We’ll have to run a competition! ;-D
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    AntiCrap said:
    No Darwin will dissect me, and remove my Sinclair Micro.

    Always knew you were the “missing link”... Homowonforus.
  • AntiCrapAntiCrap
    Bank account proves it I use the paper money to start fires and the Plastic rubbish just stinks worse than roasted hedgehog.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    "The Celery Pickers"
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    And a few recent portraits (my ugly mug at the bottom)...








  • AlanAlan
    Good grief Ben! They're amazing...
  • AntiCrapAntiCrap
    They are very good I like them and I am not good at art so I think they are brill. Wish I could do this but I was ban from art at school.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited March 2020
    They're really good, Ben.
    Well done.
  • cj66cj66
    Another vote up.
    Very good Ben. I had arty leanings as a schoolboy but never persued it. My son is the same but was frustrated by the Spanish education system that didn't support it.

    You've reached a high standard already, how long have you been actively developing your skill?
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thanks guys.
    It's been a real gift to myself to get on this FdA in Fine Arts.
    I was "fortunate" enough to be made redundant a few years ago (when the pupil exclusion unit that I was teaching in was closed down), and I received a settlement payment. A couple of years ago a friend and I renovated a terraced house in Gloucester and made a few quid. Together those two lump sums have enabled me to pay the course fees and cut back on work a bit so I can get to college 3 days a week for a couple of years.  Absolutely loving it.
    Perhaps a bit like you CJ, back in the day art was my main identifier. But, life took me another direction, and I haven't really done it seriously since I was 18 (in 1992).
    For me it's been like getting back in touch with a part of me that I've too long neglected. (I was genuinely tearful when I was accepted on to the course about a year ago to start in September 2019.)
    It's a two year FdA course at Stroud College, with the option of a 3rd year at either Bristol or Cheltenham. I am hoping to take up that option.
    I appreciate your affirmations fellas. I feel a certain revolting narcissism (as well as a wholesome pride) in putting my own efforts out there, so it's a relief that you folk are not too off-put by my "sharing". :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Don't call it narcissism.
  • DocfosterDocfoster

    Refugees in Libyan Detention Centre
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Don't tell me you went to Libya.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    No. I don’t suffer for my art. ;-)
    (Tho I am going to make a donation to a refugee charity with the proceeds of the sale.)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    It's good, suffering or not :-)
  • AlanAlan
    It's very good, especially the light on the faces.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thanks Alan.
    Yes, the  light - shade was one of the key points of that piece. Pretty pleased with the light falling on the face on the left. Less so the chap on the right. But it'll do.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Refugees at work

  • AlanAlan
    Working for Mike Cashly?
  • AlanAlan
    Political comment aside, that's another great piece, Ben.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thanks Alan.
    I’ve got a couple more to do before moving on from this series, so please have further political comments at the ready. :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited March 2020
    It's great, Ben
    Are these - apart from the first one - in oils?
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited March 2020
    Thanks Dave.
    Yes. All oils on board. The portraits are about A4. The others are quite big. About a metre wide.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I like oils. Most of the paintings we have are oils.

    I thought they had to be about that size from the texture of the work (if that's what you call it).
  • cj66cj66
    That last one is even more impressive Ben.
    The way you've caught the different expressions on the two women and texture/play on light of the plastic bag especially stand out for me.
    Proper paintings!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thank you.
    It’s plonked on the radiator in the living room atm. I can see a few little things I need to tweak, but overall I’m happy with the way it turned out.
    I’m doing a series of works on refugees and economic migration, and want to make sure that I include various different facets: In this case diligence and family (as well as trauma and plight), so I’m pleased you’ve mentioned the expressions on the women’s faces.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited March 2020
    uglymusic said:
    I like oils. Most of the paintings we have are oils.

    I thought they had to be about that size from the texture of the work (if that's what you call it).
    “Texture” is good. :-)
    In the case of the refugees working, the size was a bugger when it came to the ladies’ faces. They were too big to render roughly (though I did so with the kids’), but small enough to be fiddly. So that was a learning point! Avoid heads in the 10-15cm size range! :-D
    The one I’m doing this week has a composition that allows for relatively larger faces, and it feels more enjoyable to be painting those.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    uglymusic said:
    I like oils. Most of the paintings we have are oils.

    I thought they had to be about that size from the texture of the work (if that's what you call it).
    “Texture” is good. :-)
    In the case of the refugees working, the size was a bugger when it came to the ladies’ faces. They were too big to render roughly (though I did so with the kids’), but small enough to be fiddly. So that was a learning point! Avoid heads in the 10-15cm size range! :-D
    The one I’m doing this week has a composition that allows for relatively larger faces, and it feels more enjoyable to be painting those.

    Will 'texture' be filed with 'shape of the percussive event', I wonder? :-)

    Not being a painter, I'd never thought about the ease of painting/size issues.
  • AlanAlan
    It's the sunlight and shade I like, really looks and feels like the East to me.
  • AlanAlan
    edited March 2020
    And I like the shape of the percussive events, of course.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Alan said:
    And I like the shape of the percussive events, of course.

    A true connoisseur, you are, mate :)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    I'm certainly getting through these with this lock-down in place!
    Latest jobbie...

    'Grandmother and Child'


    (Just one or two more to go in this series.)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Well done!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    This is an original composition (as opposed to a painting based on a photo that I've sourced).
    This one is in my conservatory, and is a painting of my wife putting a face mask on a 3D self-portrait I made a few months back.
    Make of it what you will.
    I don't have a name for it. 


  • cj66cj66
    Don't know what your intention was there, maybe just experimentation but a great sense of disturbing surrounded by calm.

    My opinion be effected by 100 mph break beats and a few generous measures of Vladivostok!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited April 2020
    cj66 said:
    Don't know what your intention was there, maybe just experimentation but a great sense of disturbing surrounded by calm.

    My opinion be effected by 100 mph break beats and a few generous measures of Vladivostok!
    Love that description. :-)
    And, the accompanying music and drink sound spot on!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    (Btw, please not Goodmans Magister with replacement Pyle midrange driver just creeping on bottom right. :-D )
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    cj66 said:
    Don't know what your intention was there, maybe just experimentation but a great sense of disturbing surrounded by calm.

    My opinion be effected by 100 mph break beats and a few generous measures of Vladivostok!
    Love that description. :-)
    And, the accompanying music and drink sound spot on!

    I like it, but it's one of those I'd skip having on my wall :-)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    I can't disagree on your second point.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    :)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    "The Mancala Game"

    Last in my little series of 5 paintings on refugees.
    This one took bloomin' ages to get it so I'm OK with it.
    (Fingers crossed it passes the "Dave's wall" test.)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited April 2020
    Ooooh! Dave's wall test!!
    It's good!
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    "Two Metres"

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