Studio talks: Graydon Parrish on Bouguereau

Graydon Parrish talks about
WILLIAM BOUGUEREAU'S APPROACH TO PICTURE MAKING
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
(Sorry but we have no more space left for guests to attend this lecture. Stay tuned for the next one and RSVP right away!)

Study of Head and Hands, William Bouguereau

William Bouguereau's Approach to Picture Making:
Bouguereau's art represents the culmination of 19th century French Academic painting. After about fourteen years of training and after winning the Prix de Rome in 1850, Bouguereau went on to create over 800 paintings. His methods represent a textbook example of how paintings were systematically and professionally made. In this lecture I will describe in detail his approach, which begins with simple croquis or thumbnail sketches and advances, in an almost linear fashion, from color sketch to detailed studies to the final painting. Futhermore, I will present unfinished examples and share ideas on Bouguereau's painting procedure, including how his surfaces are layered and how this contributes to his peerless flesh. Finally, we will study other sources, both the past and present, including the work of his peers, Paul Baudry and Alexandre Cabanel, period writings on painting technique, as well as the Munsell color model.

About Graydon Parrish:
Graydon Parrish was born in Pheonix, Arizona in 1970. At the age of 17, he began attending the New York Academy of Art. He also studied under Michael Aviano. He graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College in Amherst, Massachussetts.

Graydon is also teaching a color theory workshop at GCA this summer, there is still some space left if you want to sign up!
July 13 - 31, 2009