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| Ambrose McEvoy |
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| Augustus John |
I have been taking a lot of inspiration from the portraits of Ambrose McEvoy and Augustus John lately, mainly from their colour palettes and open, sketchy brush work. It always impresses me when a painting can so vividly capture the personality of both the subject and the artist, and conjure up a story in my mind. I particularly love Augustus John's painting of his son Robin (above, left), it is a very intimate and honest portrait and feels more like a snapshot than a painting.
"Robin’s consciousness of being scrutinised by his father could be interpreted as betraying resentment or unease. The two had a difficult relationship. Robin’s silences often infuriated John, who declared his son ‘hardly utters a word and radiates hostility’."
I have been collecting inspiring photos and paintings of people in the hope that I can once again pick up and polish my own portraiture skills - it is something I loved to explore before I started University but since then it has taken a bit of a back seat.
Take a look at some of my inspiration here and here.