Morris Dancers paintings on hold

Think I’ll let these Morris Dancers studies, from the Charlottesville Festival of Cultures, remain as sketches for the time being. (Long term plan is to work up paintings at a size of around 16” x 20”.)

I like what I’m learning from studying these figures, but, something else piques my curiosity a bit more. At the moment, I’m intrigued by a cultural attribute that is unfamiliar to me – African dress.

In attendance at the Festival of Cultures was a group of women dressed in traditional African attire. The colorful clothing speaks for itself. But, as an artist, truly, the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen on any human being was that of an African woman’s. The way light caught this woman’s face made her skin produce a violet ruddiness. This shouldn’t be surprising. It’s a common practice for portrait painters to do the underpainting, or grisaille, for African skin in violet tones, such as dioxazine violet.

In the time ahead, I’m planning to use the photo references I have for studies. The aim is to paint more extended works – compositions based on the studies. When I have something respectable, I’ll post it for the group to have a peek at and comment on.

Likely, then, I’ll return my painting focus to that likable troupe -- the Morris Dancers.

yrs,
MU