Right hand Matt

Starting with this sketch and aided by this photo David painted this

DAVID: I had taken the photo in class and the colour and lighting was full of warmth and tenebrism. Cue Wikipedia:

Tenebrism, from tenebroso (“dark, gloomy, mysterious”), is a style of painting using especially pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness becomes a dominating feature of the image. The technique was developed to add drama to an image through a spotlight effect,^[1] and is common in Baroque paintings.

DAVID: I’m wondering whether to add Esther in the top corner as the source of Matt’s contemplation.

SARA: I love this! The colours, composition and expression are great

JOHN: You are certainly developing a distinctive way with colours. As to an added Esther, that seems a bit of a ‘she happened to be there’ approach rather than a genuine addition. It would be more original for you to consider other figure drawings you have done to see whether a relationship suggests itself. However, in my view the tautness and intensity of the person you’ve painted speaks well without anything external.

I find it hard to ‘read’ the shadow on his cheek as a shadow. I can’t help seeing it as a peculiar sort of beard.

As to the hands (the main emphasis of the poses),the right is very good butI’m not so happy with the left. A slight feel of banana curves rather than knuckles. Compare the photo.

MARIE: Very good David. The hair has more colour and depth too.

ROD: ¥ou’ve captured the moment well David

Same pose, different viewpoint by Sara (below)

…and a more worked version, showing some of the same introspection that David found in the pose:

Then a similar pose, though somehow more relaxed. Jane made a painting for it, but felt (rightly) that the head was too small. Good hand, though.

Two versions of this pose by Sara:

JANE: He looks tortured Sara. Fantastic as ever!

DAVID: This is soulful and would be a great painting