Dave T

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on January 17, 2018 at 7:14pm

Curator’s Comments: 

I just came across these superb realistic life drawings, and must admit I am most drawn to what I believe is your self-portrait Dave T, even among all of the heavily muscled human specimens.  There is a candid honesty to this portrait, which is further enhanced by the slightly self-deprecating caption!  But purely on its formal merits, the openness of the simple contours of the white shirt allows further study of the gorgeously rendered hands and face, which hold the most expression.  Rather than appearing to pose for the viewer/camera, the portrait shows no sense of strain or self-consciousness. The darker shadows on the body as the limbs and neck move into the garment marry the two disparate stylistic drawing approaches, and ground the body in space. Jon Karl the Curious reveals extreme dexterity and finesse in drawing, but the rippled muscle man becomes a caricature or mythic figure in costume. Perhaps if I were familiar with these personalities I wouldn’t see them as exaggerations, for I suppose bodybuilding is in fact pursuit of heightened anatomical proportion. In either case, I recognize the drawings were made several years ago.  I would love to see more of your work on the site.