Posts
4296
Joined
5/16/2007
Location
Ashbourne, GB
Edited Date/Time
1/19/2012 6:39pm
I've attached some photo's, links below to show the latest painting of Steve McQueen I'm working on.
First I obtained permission from Julia Gragnon, Paris gallery owner and daughter of the late Francois Gragnon to use his original photo of Steve McQueen at a timecheck in the 1964 ISDT in Eastern Germany.
I then draw a grid over the original photo, and scale it up to a larger grid on the canvas and draw out my composition.
Once I'm happy with the drawing,Tip: looking at it in a mirror magnify's any errors in drawing, I then start the under painting in Raw Umber, a brownish colour. This adds shape and depth to composition as well as getting rid of the stark white canvas. It's easier to balance dark and light shades against the brownish background.
Next I start to block in areas of light & dark shade roughly. At this stage I'm never very happy with my work, so I concentrate on one area, in this case his leg and engine, working in more detail. Once I'm happy with that it sets the tone and quality for the rest of the painting.
I use a copy of the original photo to work from, but a lot of detail of the engine etc was lost, so the second photo gives me more detail to work too and ensure drawing is correct.
I'll update you with more photo's as the painting progresses.
Underpainting
Under painting and photo reference
Put quite a few more hours into the Steve McQueen painting and it's starting to come together. Added more detail in his face, clothing bike tank and front tyre. Just noticed front rim wants looking at. Amazing how you can spot things from a photograph that are right under your eye on the canvas!
Lot more work needed on face, background etc. I like the way the triumph tank badge turned out. It's small things like this that encourage me to spend more time on the rest of the picture, bringing it up to this standard.
Stage 2
Hi Everyone,
Here's some photo's of the final stages of the Steve McQueen painting.
Using artistic licence, I have made several changes to the bystanders in the background, removing some, adding others to balance up the composition.
From the original photo I removed the main time keeping guy on left of frame, so the eye concentrates more on Steve McQueen.
Added detailing into gravel road, mud on front number plate. I also added a gloss varnish to tank, his helmet, which looks really good on original.
Looks like one of the members of Facebook "Motocross Art" group has bought this original painting, but I would like to know the interest in a limited edition print from this artwork?
Please let me have your comments, good or bad, on this latest work and thanks for reading this blog.
Final painting close-up
Final painting on easel.
Cheers,
Rob
www.robkinsey.com
First I obtained permission from Julia Gragnon, Paris gallery owner and daughter of the late Francois Gragnon to use his original photo of Steve McQueen at a timecheck in the 1964 ISDT in Eastern Germany.
I then draw a grid over the original photo, and scale it up to a larger grid on the canvas and draw out my composition.
Once I'm happy with the drawing,Tip: looking at it in a mirror magnify's any errors in drawing, I then start the under painting in Raw Umber, a brownish colour. This adds shape and depth to composition as well as getting rid of the stark white canvas. It's easier to balance dark and light shades against the brownish background.
Next I start to block in areas of light & dark shade roughly. At this stage I'm never very happy with my work, so I concentrate on one area, in this case his leg and engine, working in more detail. Once I'm happy with that it sets the tone and quality for the rest of the painting.
I use a copy of the original photo to work from, but a lot of detail of the engine etc was lost, so the second photo gives me more detail to work too and ensure drawing is correct.
I'll update you with more photo's as the painting progresses.
Underpainting
Under painting and photo reference
Put quite a few more hours into the Steve McQueen painting and it's starting to come together. Added more detail in his face, clothing bike tank and front tyre. Just noticed front rim wants looking at. Amazing how you can spot things from a photograph that are right under your eye on the canvas!
Lot more work needed on face, background etc. I like the way the triumph tank badge turned out. It's small things like this that encourage me to spend more time on the rest of the picture, bringing it up to this standard.
Stage 2
Hi Everyone,
Here's some photo's of the final stages of the Steve McQueen painting.
Using artistic licence, I have made several changes to the bystanders in the background, removing some, adding others to balance up the composition.
From the original photo I removed the main time keeping guy on left of frame, so the eye concentrates more on Steve McQueen.
Added detailing into gravel road, mud on front number plate. I also added a gloss varnish to tank, his helmet, which looks really good on original.
Looks like one of the members of Facebook "Motocross Art" group has bought this original painting, but I would like to know the interest in a limited edition print from this artwork?
Please let me have your comments, good or bad, on this latest work and thanks for reading this blog.
Final painting close-up
Final painting on easel.
Cheers,
Rob
www.robkinsey.com
JJ
Me being the OCD type, I'd also have liked to see more detail in the trees in the upper right corner. Not full detail but more than what you have.
As I said, awesome work. I wish I had the time and ability to do that sort of thing. The types of things I listed above make it where I can never be happy with anything artistic that I do. I would never finish my first painting.
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Rob
Please e-mail me at robakinsey@hotmail.com and we can talk, would love to work something out.
Rob
Giclee prints are now available. Here's the details!
Steve McQueen captured at a timecheck in the 1964 ISDT in Eastern Germany when he rode for Team USA. Along with US team-mate Bud Edkins, Steve was on shedule for a medal until a heavy crash detuned him.
This print captures the iconic style of the Hollywood actor on his Triumph motorcycle.
Based on a photograph by the late Francois Gragnon, whose daughter Julia gave permission to use one of his classic photo's as inspiration.
Printed onto Hahnemuhle 380gsm art paper using lightfast archive inks.
Print is A2 size with an image size of 465mm by 355mm. Limited to a total edition worldwide of 150 prints.
Each print comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Price £74-95 ($109 US Dollars) plus P&P(worldwide £10 or $15 US dollars)
Please go to www.robkinsey.com click on gallery link on home page. Print is listed under New fine art prints section.
Please click on drop down price menu and as a special offer VITALMX readers can purchase the print for the show price £74.95, postage free, SAVING $15 dollars!!!
My website links into Paypal for payment so you can use credit cards etc.
Any questions, please contact me via PM or robakinsey@hotmail.com
Thanks,
Rob
www.robkinsey.com
Picture of actual print
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