Figures in Walnut Stain
I’ve been fooling around with Virtual Pose, trying to work out a way to draw figures quickly enough with walnut stain to be able to use it in life class, where we have lots of very quick poses. The teacher tells me it’s possible… I’ve tried painting the stain on first, and then you need to let it dry before you can work into it with pencil. I also need to work into it with water, lightening certain areas, and sometimes white gouache. I also tried drawing first, which gives more precise, if somewhat less poetic, drawings, but actually seems to take me even longer. If anyone is used to working with wash in a figure class, I’d be interested to hear from you. Maybe I’m just very very slow.
Anyway, here are some of the ones I like the best. These are too big to scan, so I photographed them – some are a little blurry.
rue Manuel bis 
The woman standing backwards is absolutely fantastic. It is so artistic, Casey. I would buy it! You are a wonderful artist.
Amazing what you are achieving this this medium! Can’t wait to hear the response of other people at the life class when you turn up with a can of walnut stain!
Oh, I agree with nik – I love that one, too! Very nice – I’m not sure what the stain is, though – is it like wood stain, or am I being obtuse?
I think they are all pretty awesome Casey! The walnut ink is intriguing and I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. The still life with bottles is dramatic also.
Thank you – this medium is a lot of fun, but I feel it controls me and not the other way around. I guess that’s part of the fun. Diahn, it’s a stain made from walnuts (the shells I guess) that you use to darken wood. It’s water-based and handles a lot like ink I guess, but it’s a whole lot cheaper.
I love these, walnut stain seems like a great medium. How do you lay the walnut ink down? With a paintbrush, or a rag, or? It seems so free and loose in style, I love them. I´m with Nik and Diahn, the woman with the back towards the viewer is awesome!
Nice work! So it’s actually a stain and not an ink? How interesting! Very inspiring to see some good work come out of virtual pose as well – i’m putting this on my xmas list!
Casey, I think they look wonderful the way they are now. There is sure not much room for improvement at least not when working on short time poses.
thanks for your nice comment about the iguana. that really encourages me to do more. 🙂
i saw these wonderful paintings today morning already. i wonder why i forgot to post a comment. i love the brown shades… gives a warm touch to the paintings and i like that for humans.
very interesting Casey!!!
Very nice sketches Casey. I think “speed” will come when you keep on working with it..it is just new, so there is still a lot of “thinking” in the process.
Ronell
I like the second guy from the bottom, but the first looks like his legs are too small.
Mmm, I see what you mean Damien., his foot especially.
These are very good, Casey, particularly the seated woman. Beautiful!