Why’s an Urban Landscape artist posting figure sketches?

      I believe to understand any artist, you have to acknowledge the many facets of that artist. You may not respond to everything they do and that is OK. However, you’re likely to gain insight into the artist by seeing other aspects of their work and it could open up another avenue of discovery. Who knows? From time to time I post figure sketches on my Instagram and Facebook accounts. I’ve been told that people get confused because the work is different than my Urban Landscapes. Yet, from my perspective it’s all art. There is no right or wrong, no formula and since these things inspire me I want to share them. But maybe I can explain this even better.
      I have been an Urban Landscape artist for just over 7 years now. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy branding myself as such, too. Most of my blogs are about my journey of becoming an established full time artist, the plein air events I’ve done, my annual Open Studio event, etc., I have a website full of urban landscape paintings and that is mostly what you'll see on my social media accounts.
      Yet I have a secret…. (ssshhh) and it is that I love drawing and painting the figure. I have been drawing the figure in studio sessions for over 25 years! That’s three times longer than I have been doing Urban Landscapes. I must love it! I think it’s important to share different aspects of my journey with you…and the figure is a big one.
       Why is the figure so compelling? Well, first of all I’d say since we are all human, (I think-hahaha) it’s easy for us to relate to the figure. Every pose seems to tell a story. For me, a turn of the head, a twist in the torso, an out stretched hand can speak volumes. No words needed. You just feel hope, longing, desire, sadness, joy or whatever it is through the body and then, hopefully, transmitted through the mark of the artist.  Isn’t that amazing?
      On a technical level, the human body is thought to be the most difficult thing to master in art. There are rules and ways to measure the body and proportions but no two humans are the same and actually no one human is symmetrical either. Did you know that? Now add the billions of angles from which anyone might be viewed from or the clothing which might be worn and well, I think you can understand the complexities. It can take a life time to master. That is both the challenge and the joy!
      What’s really fascinating to me these days is that my love of the human figure is actually coming around into my Urban Landscapes as I am beginning to explore people in the Urban Landscape. As I have been painting plein air, I have also been sketching people over the years and taking photos as well. All my years of drawing the figure is helping me as I develop these into paintings and hopefully, a new series.

         
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In case you are interested in seeing more of my expressive figures, feel free to check out my Etsy shop, Sarahs Art Scene