Jean Puy

Naked in an armchair. 1910. Oil and pastel on paper. 23.58 inch - 31.89 inch. Jean Puy.

Jean Puy was a Fauvist and a contemporary of Henri Matisse. On Facebook, I have written a response to 4 of his pastel figure works, dated 1904-1944.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays and  Blessed New Year!

China Blue Vase

China Blue Vase with Roses. 2018. Pastel. 15.75" x 12". Casey Klahn.

Henri Matisse Masterpiece Collection

200!

19 of 200 figure drawings completed now on week two. Can he make it? 

Since beginning this series, I have adjusted the goal from 100 to 200. The idea is to ingrain the figure into my mind and hand as it once was so many years ago. The difference is, now I am informed by real models and master examples. 

See the progress at Pinterest.

shown on top:

Study for Good Hair and a Russian Bear Hat. 2018. Vine Charcoal on Brown Paper. 24" x 18". Casey Klahn.

shown on bottom: 

Vermillion & Green. After Degas. 2018. Pastel, Dry Ground & Vine Charcoal on Townsend Sanded Paper. 22" x 18". Casey Klahn.

100 Figure Drawings

New project: 100 Fine Art Nude Drawings. The concept is to do drawings rather than paintings, mostly nudes but sometimes clothed, mostly framable sizes and on excellent paper. If you know me, you know the paper is as important as the rendering in a lot of cases. Also, these will be mostly from life models, sometimes from computer fine art model sessions, and sometimes copies from masters such as Rodin, Degas, Schiele, and Klimt.

These will be rendered in graphite, or vine charcoal, or they will sometimes be counter-proofs. Sometimes I will use pastel or paint mediums.

I'll be updating the project on Pinterest and on The Colorist blog, and will only be referencing it occasionally on Face-book.

The two below are from life models.

Quartering and Facing, Arms Overhead. Female Nude. 2018. Vine Charcoal on Rust-Colored Mi-Teintes Paper. 10" x 8". Casey Klahn. $200/ Unframed.

Female Nude, Facing Sideways and Seated. 2018. Vine Charcoal and Pastel on White Heavyweight Vellum Paper. 10" x 8". Casey Klahn. $200/ Unframed.

Model S in Three Images

The Yellow Odalisque. 2018. 

Pastel 

15.25" x 11.5" 

Casey Klahn

S with the Stick. 2018. 

Compressed Charcoal on Ampersand Board

12" x 9" 

Casey Klahn

Reclining Nude from the Back. 2018. 

Pastel & Vine Charcoal

19" x 12.25"

Casey Klahn

812 Matisse Works

Learn From Masters video channel

Model as History

Mallory As Birgit Prestoe. 2018. Pastel. 12" x 6.5". Casey Klahn.

It's no secret how I admire Edvard Munch, of The Scream fame. His body of work is extensive, and he had a knack for the portrait in the Expressionist style. 

One of his great models was Birgit Prestoe, and in my latest portrait of model Mallory McIntosh, I am paying homage to that historic collaboration. 

I will make a side note that the antique Roche pastels used in the lay-in of this painting date from the time when Edvard Munch was in his prime. Spooky, I know. If only the tools could talk.

Edvard Munch. (1863-1944) Norwegian. 

Model in the Studio

Model in the Studio, Orange Burst. 2018. Pastel & Vine Charcoal. 8.25" x 9.25". Casey Klahn.

Mallory is posing in front of her own framed likeness, titled Orange Burst. 

Seated Nude

Seated Pose. Foot. 2018. Counter Proof Highlighted with Pastel and Charcoal on Revere 300# Paper. 22" x 18." Casey Klahn.

Drawing Degas

Here is the trailer for my video featuring a large scale easel drawing. That longer video is available to my Patreon subscribers. It is a full start-to-finish of a 3 foot by 2 foot vine charcoal drawing where I respond to one of Degas' bather figurines.

As a result of seeing the Edgar Degas, A Passion for Perfection exhibit in Denver, I am on fire to adopt some of his techniques and moves. One thing I took away from his pastels was that I have been working too hard! What I mean is his shorthand for skin tones with pastels was earthshaking for me. 

Details of Edgar Degas pastels showing technique.

Your hand knows how to draw. Get out of the way and watch the magic.

The Mods

From the top left:
Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, 
Francis Bacon, Maurice de Vlaminck, Pablo Picasso,
Helen Frankenthaler, Marcel Duchamp, Mark Rothko,
Edvard Munch, Amedeo Modigliani, Sonia Delaunay.

Framing Your Own Pastels Video

Flowers Video

Enjoy this demo of my recent floral work, Flowers for February.

Glamour Portrait

Glamour & Light. After Degas. 2018. Pastel on Paper. 19.75" x 16." Casey Klahn.


A painting of a model in my studio.

Mallory in a Red Coat

Mallory in a Red Coat. 2018. Pastel & Oil. 24.5" x 18.5." Casey Klahn.


Full sheet studio work, with model Mallory McIntosh.

Studio Session, The Cocktail Dress

Cocktail Dress. 2018. Pastel. 14" x 13.75." Casey Klahn.


I retooled my studio to allow me to have models come to pose. This is the first work, with Mallory, in her black cocktail dress. Her talent is extraordinary, and she's very pretty, as well. 

Please return for the next few paintings I do of her. 

Please Have a Merry Christmas

Enjoy this season. The song O Holy Night, written by the French Maestro, Adolphe Adam, celebrates with proper glory the birth of Christ, The Savior. I wasn't moved to post a video with 2 old guys in tuxedos, but the children's choir was just the right touch. Well, I really do enjoy Pavarotti's pipes - he's a singer's singer, to my layman's mind. 

Best Wishes this holiday season, and Merry Christmas. 

Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo - O Holy Night / Cantique De Noel (Christmas-Vienna 1999).

Studio Tour

This video was made for Instagram, so I'm running to get it all in! I like Blogger much better, but when in Rome...