One of my favorite artists is Toulouse Lautrec. There is a simplistic beauty to much of his work which as the linked article states might be described as drawings in coloured paint.
Some of the subjects that I am most drawn to portraying are those who can be seen in quiet or unimportant moments of daily life even though their eyes and body language speak volumes.
I’m intrigued by Toulouse’s ability to depict people in their everyday environments and succeed at creating an artwork that stands alone as a picture pleasing to look at and appreciate.
This is what I’ve tried to do with this acrylic gouach painting on linen paper. The environment appears barren while the gaze of her eyes leave you wondering where her heart is at.
This piece was an attempt to see what I could do with gouache on simple paper as I have only worked with it on hard surfaces and canvas. I had to work hard at discovering how I could achieve the more shaded areas without leaving sharp cut off lines, as acrylic dries so quickly especially on a faster absorbing surface like paper.
The effects Toulouse could achieve with the adherence of acrylics and oil or a combination of both on a surface as simple and inexpensive as cardboard are impressive.