Creating Mariahoeve – 03-05-24
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My Own District
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Mariahoeve – 03-05-24’ is my next landscape sketch after ‘Den Haag – Nassaulaan – 01-05-24’. This time it’s my own neighborhood, which is the district of The Hague, called ‘Mariahoeve’. Not a real gem or wandering beauty but it’s home at least. Safe, no spectacular or peculiar things going on, varied construction. There are plenty of flats but also single family homes. The exciting part is that it’s not far from the city centre and The Hague Forest. By now you must have guessed already why I didn’t draw it to date. In my art statement to Den Haag – Halstraat – 12-03-15 I mentioned Baudelaire. His cry to artists to portray daily life i cannot answer with regard to the very place where I live. There are simply too many uninteresting buildings. In fact, many districts here in The Netherlands all look the same.
A Beautiful Path
Nevertheless, doing landscapes again there was this thing gnawed at me. If it were only once to do a drawing of the place I live! After all, there are also trees, little parks and even some canals. Then I remembered a path I walk down sometimes when I go to work in Voorburg. It’s accessible from Het Kleine Loo just before soccer club ‘VUC’. Not many people dwell there, mostly dog walkers. It’s charming though, especially during Spring. Lots of cow parsley popping up. So I walked there yesterday when it was particularly good weather. Also bit of a must really. My bike had a flat tire so I had to go on foot. Therefor I took some pictures of the path. Then I could drawing at Brugman’s waiting for my bike to be repaired. So there it is, a tribute to my own Mariahoeve.
Pitt Graphite Matt pencil (Faber-Castell, 14B) drawing on Winsor & Newton paper (10.5 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
51
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Den Haag – Nassaulaan – 01-05-24
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A Bit of Impressionism
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Den Haag – Nassaulaan – 01-05-24’ is a bit of impressionism. For no particular reason I always associate this season with impressionist paintings and drawings of landscapes. Get yourself outdoors you’d say and sketch. Usually, during this time of year I already would have made some. However, it’s been raining quite heavily since Spring arrived but it’s getting better all the time. The weather is starting to improve here in The Netherlands. Soon I’ll be back out there drawing in a camping chair somewhere.
Nassaulaan
As to the drawing at hand I have to disappoint you. It’s not made at the very spot. There was this small exhibition ‘Children of The Hague School’ in Panorama Mesdag I intended to visit. That was a couple of weeks back and it was such a day you couldn’t decide to wear a coat or not. At the Mauritskade I decided to go for a little detour and turn right on the Nassaulaan. There was this see through with a little canal between two big mansions. I took some picture and got to the exhibition. I always like these combinations of human-made structures and nature. It gives context and contrast.
Not a Certain Style
Lately I haven’t got the cubist feel as explained in my last one, called ‘Reclining Nude after Breitner – 27-04-24’. It made me realize I have a couple of distint styles that differ from eachother. There’s Roundism, my own view on surrealism and this typical hatched strokes impressionistic style. Maybe even more. Not long ago an art critic advised me to stick with one certain style. Personally, I think that’s quite an American or commercial way of looking at things. She might be even right on this one but I feel different. What I certainly didn’t plan is to have an art carreer like many artists out there. Perhaps it’s also because I don’t want to be labelled and categorized. What I always wanted is to have a certain meta-recognition throughout all of my works. Do you think I succeed in doing so?
Graphite pencil (Sakura mechanical pen 0.5 mm, 4B) drawing on Papicolor paper (10.5 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
60
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Creating Reclining Nude after Breither – 27-04-24
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Breitner’s Photography
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Reclining Nude after Breitner – 27-04-24’ is based on a photograph Breitner took himself. He was an avid amateur photographer and based many of his artworks on pictures he made. Not the first time I delved into his photos. Especially the ones he didn’t use himself for paintings I am after. You’ll probably remember my Geesje Kwak series. A couple of years before that I made Nude after Breitner’s Photograph – 22-04-17 (Sold)’. The latter was fun to do. However, I haven’t got the cubist feeling at this moment. That’s because I am caught up by a highly detailed oil painting at this moment. After two realist pastels I made last week I didn’t have much inspiration for innovation. Instead, just practising my fingers with graphite pencil and then suddenly I got an idea.
Hatched Strokes
For no particular reason I thought of ‘Geesje Kwak – 25-08-21 (Sold)’. That one I executed in my hatched strokes style using a mechanical pen. What if I do that using a Faber-Castell Pitt Matt 14B pencil this time. Thoses hatchings are subtle and therefor can look a bit weak tonally. I wouldn’t have that with this very dark graphite pencil. This endeavor became the core of this drawing. No cubism this time but a kind of impressionism. The tonality looks similar to ‘Duivelsberg – 25-12-23’. Completely different subject though. By the way, this photo is from 1890. It makes me realize how quick time flies. The female form reclining seems so tangible though. I got the same feeling with kimono girl Geesje. A full century between her posing and my gaze at her. Will people have the same regard of my artworks over 100 years from now?
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
84
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2
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Creating Wijk bij Duurstede - 13-05-19
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In the Middle of the Netherlands
I came to visit Wijk bij Duurstede, a small city near Utrecht. Just outside the city center there is this park towards the river Lek. When you enter it you immediately see the park is actually a former bastion. In the middle there are the remnants of a once bigger castle Duurstede. It’s everything one can expect from a medieval castle. There’s a moat, a keep and a perfect preserved round Burgundian tower. Not the first time I’ve been there but the first time there wasn’t a lot of sunshine. As a discipline of the light I need the atmosphere around objects to be bright and dark.
Majestic Things
So there it was, the second time there was plenty of sun and for that matter also cast shadows. Next, let me tell you about a challenge each artist faces trying to capture majestic things. Buildings, trees, castles and what not can look very smallish if rendered with harsh contour delineations. The trick is to put them into context with surroundings. Therefor I didn’t fine detail the tower in order to keep it at some distance. By doing less I tried to make it appear to be larger, taking Monet’s message (Rouen series) to heart.
Hatched Strokes
Just as in the previous drawing of Veere I kept this one in my hatched strokes style. I experienced this suits me best to do landscapes and cities with. Especially in small format like A5 and A6 forms look not too small as explained in the previous paragraph. One could say these have become a style in their own right. Surely way different from all things cubist and surrealist I create as well.
Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B) on Canson Bristol paper (10.5 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A6 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
30
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Creating Estate ‘Reigersbergen’ – 16-05-20
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Estate Reigersbergen
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Estate ‘Reigersbergen’ – 16-05-20’ is a bit of impression, executed in my hatched strokes style. My mind is back on landscapes again since my last drawing ‘Model Session – 14-05-20’. I liked laying down these hatchings in the female form so why not in trees again? You can spot them returning in Marlot – 11-04-20 but that was a small A6-size one. De Hofvijver – 20-03-20 (Sold) is A4-size and that is what I longed for this time. Besides that, there’s not something to do really since the virus started to kick in. Don’t worry, I have not taken ill, yet. Still not teaching though and therefor l trade lockdowns for landscape so-to-say.
Corona Days
These Corona days I wander about the region like I am used to. Nothing changed in this respect and it’s something I am used to during Sprintime. Moreover, I am more than happy that we in The Netherlands have at least some freedom of movement. Besides that the end of our ‘intelligent lock down’ is in sight. Soon I can start to teach but first draw this one. I was attracted by the slanted angular structures of the willow trees. They suit my opposite hatched strokes quite nicely. It represents a spot close to where I live, called ‘Estate Reigersbergen’.
Favorite Spot
In the distance the treeline belongs to Huis Ten Bosch, where king Willem-Alexander van Oranje-Nassau and his family reside. This estate ‘Reigersbergen’ is one of my favorite spots in The Hague. It has all a man could wish for, woodlands, pastures, cows, forests and parks. Just around the corner to where I live. That’s the wonderful part of living here in The Hague.
Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B & Conté graphite pencil 4B) on Canson Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm – A4 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
23
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Creating Kethel - 13-07-19 (Sold)
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Tree in Bloom
When I returned to my car from my trip to Kethel, Schiedam, Netherlands, I saw this beautiful tree in bloom. Sometimes you look for grand things and the little all of a sudden pop into your eyes when least expected. The actual tree was in no interesting area but the very shape struck me by lightning. I took a picture and decided to do it only now (in summer). Live sketching can be overrated. It so happened that I do not have some pencils, paper and a camping chair at hand. Furthermore, I regularly see so many motifs that I cannot draw all at the very spot. From the moment I took this picture I planned to do this anyway, live or not.
Encapsulated
The last time I visited this beautiful little village was in Spring when I drew my first graphite pencil drawing ‘Kethel – 22-04-19’. Unfortunately Kethel has been completely surrounded by apartment buildings. The crazy thing is that first I could not find it at all. I had to climb the roof of the local supermarket in order to spot the top of its bell tower. Then I saw it was completely encapsulated by modern architecture. The village has managed to keep its original character though. Now looks like an open-air museum that is cherished like a dear gem.
Roundism
I tried to capture the flow of the flowering tree and of course in my roundish style. I thought of a couple of recent landscapes I did in that style. Beek – 11-06-19 was the last. Finally I feel this one hits the right spot. Is more profoundly roundism and it expresses exactly what I tried to convey. That was a rhythym of broken curves, thick and thin. Lucky for me someone else catched my drift so I sold it quickly.
Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B) on Winsor & Newton paper (10.5 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A6 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
11
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Creating Neo Deco – 09-04-24
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Solarised Look
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Neo Deco – 09-04-24’ is the first one after a couple of pastel drawings. Seized by my currect oil painting in progress I kept the posting pace going by some live model sketches. Meanwhile I had this piece under way and I didn’t have a clue what to do with it. So each time at Brugman’s where I teach I worked at it, bit by bit. Originally I had something surrealistic in mind. Soon I changed the set-up and decided to opt for yet another solarised look. Actually, my last one ‘Sands Time – 23-03-24’ looks a bit like this one. The thing is that I didn’t want to loose the brilliant shadowy patterns on the model’s body. Some motifs and especially the lighting are great enough to only celebtrate these by a bit artistic enforcement.
Willy Zielke
The drawing is inspired by a 1930s photo made by Willy Zielke. Lately I have been browsing again online looking for pictures from the art deco era. A couple of pictures one night stood out because of the clean cut lighting he used. Certainly my cup of tea so to speak. My addition to the scene is the aforemention solarization and thick linear contour delineations. My aim was to create contrasts between soft tonal transitions and abrupt ones. I also let the body vaporize into the negative space. You can see that in the left arm, above her right breast and in her leg. This way all contrasts are present. There is light versus dark, soft versus harsh transitions and angular versus roundish. Personally, I like the hair locks the best. They look funny and strange in solarized forms.
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
168
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Creating Maassluis – 08-06-21
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An Incredible Search
This graphite pencil drawing of Maassluis is an inbetween exercise. I find myself in this incredible search for capturing the cubist essence of Geesje Kwak in oil. Depicting this city is somehow similar in design and ambition though. Lately I am fantasizing about combining ‘realism’ or whatever realism might mean to an artist and my personal roundism style. I find myself curiously related to the buddhist at the hotdog stand ordering one with everything. Maybe it has something to do with having explored many styles such as realism, impressionism, cubism and then some. Why wouldn’t I want exactly that: one with everything?
Maassluis
Even though Maassluis is not far away, I never visited the place until some years ago. That is when I made my first drawing of the place. The mindset I had was to render the trees cubistically. I kept other elements such as the buildings, ships and water realistic or impressionistic at least. This way the cubist tree becomes an integral part of the realistic depiction rather than an annoying deviation from it. That is my aim at least and it is for the spectator to judge.
Progression
Surely I can see I progressed in techniques and artistic conception from then on. Drawings from the recent past look more elaborated like Park Leeuwenbergh. The reason can be found in either taking more time and patience to work things out or getting conservative. By the latter I mean that each style can start with a rough edge. As time goes by one tends to fine polish it, extending the possibilities within that certain style to the max. That is, until everything has been squeezed out and becomes almost rendered in a reserved way. Obviously I hope that will not be the case in the current situation I am in. I like to progress from here and pick up the joy of sketching and find stuff anew. Anyway, that will be for and be judged upon later. First I have to return to Geesje Kwak and start a new drawing to kill the time when I am not behind my easle.
Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B) on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm - A4 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
25
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Creating Prestudy to Sitting Nude by Jacob Merkelbach – 24-03-24
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Jacob Again
This charcoal and pastel drawing ‘Prestudy to Sitting Nude by Jacob Merkelbach – 24-03-24’ is made under two hours. On a whim really because this afternoon I went to Brugman Art to teach model sketching. 7 enthusiasts but not experienced persons I wanted to give an example what to expect. As to drawing I also want to show students how I personally render the human figure. So I went early in order to get ready for the session and to set up a sketch. Of late I have disccovered the works of Jacob Merkelbach I have mentioned before. In fact, my last drawing was based on one of is beautiful photos. The pose of the woman shown in the picture was gorgeous and the posture simple at the same time. Doable under an hour I had before the group arrived.
Under Two Hours
Actually, I was finished doing the pose and the right proportions under half an hour. So I had the opportunity to show what I’m all about: tonality. I had only charcoal available. Thus the setup remained a bit pale. However, back home I decided to spend another half an hour to darken things up with Conté carré noir. Somehow I thought this might as well serve as a prestudy for a graphite pencil drawing. As such that always is meant as study for an oil painting. Obviously a prelude to a prelude more or less. It’s jolly good fun to do and show these sketches. See what the contrast in quality is between stuff I worked on for hours and those drawn quickly. Which works do you prefer?
Popular on Social Media
Strangely this classical or should I call it academical work is popular on social media. Take ‘Model Session – 23-01-24’ for example. According to Facebook this pastel became the most popular watched reel of late. Duly noted but I’m a bit ashamed because of the unpretentiousness of these drawings. There is nothing to convey, only beauty and tonal skills. What do you think, need I worry or carry on? A guilty pleasure, most definitively!
Pastel drawing on paper (49.8 x 64.6 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
214
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3
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Creating Sands of Time – 23-03-24
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Endlessness
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Sands of Time – 23-03-24’ follows exactly one month after my last one ‘Cleopatra – 23-02-24’. They both are part of my series ‘Out of Egypt’ laid to rest for a couple of years. Lately I had some ideas or rather a kind of vision entering my mind. Perhaps more a spiritual journey after many meditations on the subject ‘infinity’. Isn’t that the artist’s job, to show exactly that? By now you ought to know my fulminations with regard the state art is in today. With little to convey many expressions of art seem only meant to decorate lush living rooms these days. I always associate Egypt and its art as way to transfer feelings of endlessness and the spiritual. I’ve never been in a desert before. However, sand dunes as far as the eye can see seem both freightening as well as enchanting.
Jacob Merkelbach
Well now, there’s the final result which is the spiritual as stated above. The initial cause is yet another great reference picture taken by Jacob Merkelbach. That’s why we call it the artistic motif. A motif is the instigant causing an artist to yearn for something else. That’s the start of soul searching deep inside to see what ideas are spawn from it. In my case it’s all about the tonality. I often discuss the realm of contrasts with students. The are part of ‘the implicate order’ ruling over phenomena and stuff people give meaning to. However, contrast is what makes things come alive. Water versus drought, light versus darkness. Hence my weapon of choice: black and white als element born by eternity to be portrayed by them. Can you dig it? Into the sand, that is.
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
95
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Creating Tribute to Alma Tadema – 16-03-24
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Another Tribute
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Tribute to Alma Tadema – 16-03-24’ is dedicated to a painter causing a stir in England. That’s more than hundred years ago though. Not the first time I did that. Back in 2021 I did one including my regular model reclining under the mediterranean sun. Last year I did Psyche & Amor – 23-05-23 being an elaboration of that drawing. Isn’t that enough, you’d say? No, certainly not and below I will explain why.
Something Rotten
Something is rotten in the state art today or is it? Well, perhaps that’s too baldly put. In my statement to ‘The Infinite Waves of Eternity – 06-02-24’ I already spoke of a rubble pile of nonsense in this post-modern art world. Craft has left art and everythings goes, so it seems. Take tonal scales for example. Back in the day artists trained themselves in producing such a scale the first year in art school. With this drawing I want to demontrate what suitable tones can do and support the theme of an artwork. What do you think? A bit old-fashioned? Do you like Zene art, wall art or any other decorative work in general? Please let me know my sending me a mail.
Not the Ultimate Kitsch
Therefor I dedicate this drawing to someone who was accused of creating the ultimate kitsch. Cookie jar or cigar box art they call it. Kitsch or not, I’ll keep on referring to the beauty great artists sought to create throughout thousans of years. Lourens had a bit of a sweet tooth, that’s for sure. Surely great and original art though. By the way, the piece is inspired by a smashing reference picture by Jacob Merkelbach, called ‘La Petite Mélancholie’. So, this is also in honor of him. Some final words: the less skilled artist become, the more skills I will display.
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
171
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Creating Aachen - 03-11-21
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Visiting Albrecht Dürer
Sunday last October 17th in Aachen my parents and I visised the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of Albrecht Dürer and contemporaries. Crime scene: Suermondt-Ludwig Museum at Aachen, Germany. Aachen always is a enchanting place to visit with its Aachener Printen and of course to follow Charlemagne’s footsteps. They are scattered all over the place and imprinted in the Aachener Dom and the Aachen Cathedral Treasury (Domschatzkammer). When in Aachen I never went to the very museum before. It resides at the outskirts of the old centre and it is not a logical place to visit except for special exhibitions. And so there was one! Never before were there so many of his works in one place after he died. Do you want to know a secret? I was a little bit jealous of his drawing skills. How was he able to draw such thin lines?
Aachener Dom
Before visiting the museum we went for a little stroll around the cathedral, also not to miss out on those Printen! Walking full circle there it presented itself: a lovely side view I remembered from earlier trips in 1991 and 2004. Dürer’s works still messing with my head I recalled he did a drawing of the cathedral too (in 1520) I could see from his drawing he held a higher vantage point and farther away. The fun part is it looks exactly the same 500 years ago as it still stands today. There was a bigger tower on the Palatine Chapel though.
Artistic Approach
Surely I had to do my best because, compared to Dürer’s works, I have broad shoulders to stand on. Studying his very drawing I saw he had a rather linear approach. That is where I could beat him at his game. He did not know anyting about impressionism and so I rendered my graphite pencil drawing in this style. It is a perfect way to suggest lots of details without actually having to depict them. Throwing in details is a precarious matter anyway and easily leads to a messy impression. The sun was just above the cathedral’s nave and so the mass of the architecture appeared dusky anyway. It was perfect for my impressionistic aim.
The Suggestion of Lots of Details
With the refined graphite pencil techniques of Geesje Kwak – 08-10-21 still in my fingers this one was not very difficult. It took a lot of time though. Many people would think drawing all those details takes pain staking skills. Actually it is the absence of details and only the suggestion of them that is difficult. What is need is a subtle draftswork in order to keep an even tonality all across the building structure. That takes time and muscle control.
Abul-Abbas
Low and Behold! On the actual square in front of the cathedral I thought I saw Abul-Abbas, Charlemagne’s elephant for a moment. What I liked about those Germans the most is that they worship their Elephant God. They even released an air balloon in the shape of an elephant. On its side there was this promotional poster with Dürer on it. How thoughtful! Therefor it was more than justified to incorporate them both in my drawing.
Graphite pencil drawing (Sakura 0.5 mm, 4B) on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm) - A4 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
12
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Creating Neo Deco – 08-03-24
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Interesting Synthesis
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Neo Deco – 08-03-24’ is another homage to the realm of art deco. To be precise, I dedicate this one to photographer Walter Bird whose series ‘Beauty’s Daughthers’ is just breathtaking. Yet again because I already was inspired by some of his works as motifs for my drawings. In fact, last month. Thus, the Neo Deco series becomes an interesting synthesis of elements of art deco, cubism, roundism and surrealism. However, to some motifs I add more added value than others. Last one of Cleopatra came more from my mind than this one. Sometimes you’ll simply have to let it shine in its original splendor. Serving as a service-hatch from the Deco epoque to modern times, I take comfort in that.
Adaptations
It needed a bit of cubist styling and some abstraction. Especially in the highlights sections I skipped visible pores exposed by the oiled skin. Last but not least I deviated from the picture in the end. The head and neck looked a bit elongated compared to her chest. That could have been caused by the model leaning over towards the camera and warpness created by the camera lens. In addition, people were a shorter back in the day so the head-body ratio was a bit different. The more reason I made the head a bit smaller. The region between shoulder and jaw I also made a bit darker. Unfortunately an interesting swirl I created in the beck became an impediment. Such is life for an artist now and then.
Cunning Plan
As to lighting this Neo Deco variety looks a bit like ‘Cubist Study after Lauren Albin Guillot – 18-10-23’. Yet another great photographer from the same era. These chiaroscuro lightings are my favorite. They inspire me to take pictures of my models like that. There’s a cunning plan in my mind lingering about though. My secret wish is to sell a lot of prints and printables of this one and buy myself a big studio with lots of equipment. Then I can tweak lamps and light better in more space than I now have in my small apartment. Would you help me executing my plan?
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
181
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Creating Neo Deco – 05-03-24
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Back in 2014
This oil painting ‘Neo Deco – 05-03-24’ is an elaboration of my pastel drawing ‘Cubist Nude – 28-03-14’. One I was bound to elaborate at some point. I remember I made that one on a whim at Brugman, Voorburg where I teach. Probably a quick sketch before art class. Sometimes those are the best, feeling free to experiment. Now, 10 years later it was about time to set it loose on linen. Little did I know working on a larger scale offers many new challenges.
Scaling Up, Troubles Bound
You see, scaling up this artistic motif didn’t satisfied me and it wasn’t that much bigger. Canson pastel paper is 50 x 65 cm and this painting measures 60 x 80 cm. However, after transferring basic proportions I thought the result was looking rather meager. Or was the result looking rather similar to the pastel drawing I already made in 2014? I don’t know really. Such things just happen when you use a motif a second time around. All bets are off. The trick is to find something new, in spite of the attraction of the initial drawing. There was some added value to be found.
Enter Color
Terrific to see how color also influences form. This female form demanded more forms this time but these weren’t supported by the monochromy I had in mind. Initially I had planned to execute it in blue only but it didn’t work for me really. Enter color and that always means a whole new ballgame. Blue needs orange. These two are complementary vibrant but also a bit boring, so green and pink were added. After a while I realized I had to change, even add forms as well. That was necessary balance all the different colored patches. Hence another jigsaw puzzle like the struggles I face completing ‘Nina – 12-10-23’. All-in all I’m happy with the balance in saturated and non-saturated colours.
Oil on linen (60 x 80 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
69
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Creating Kali – 23-03-22
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Enter Kali
Enter Kali The Destroyer. This oil is an elaboration of an earlier graphite pencil drawing ‘Roundism – 26-04-16 (sold)’. At first I planned to do this this oil before my oil Vesna 14-03-22. However, because of current events in the Ukraine the latter came first because I felt it was so urgent. Perhaps there is something good and something not so successful in each work I created throughout the years. Aforementioned drawing I consider to be the one of the better ones I made. Needless to say I sold it quickly. Surely I felt like doing this one in oil one day but never found the time to do so. Must have been my head brimming over with lots of ideas to be captured on paper first.
Wife of Shiva
Maybe you know the story of the goddess Kali, wife of Shiva. For those who do not, just click one of the aforegiven links. The title came rather intuitively, associating the multiple arms with her obviously. She is not the first and last I made. Back in 2018 I did ‘Roundism – 04-08-18 (sold)’. Women with multiple arms must be a popular item since I sold that one as well. Anyway, I guess I am attracted to goddesses who both destroy and serve as a protective mothergoddess. She is also the preserver of nature. The reference picture I used is an old one from the 1920s. The chiaroscuro play of light and darkness is conducive to the association with Kali of course.
Multiple Arms in Color
Back then in 2016 I found the picture of the single arm streched out to the right a bit ‘tiny’. There wasn’t much to be seen in the upper central part except for a big black void. That’s how I came to Kali multiple arm theme, filling up the gap. My subconsciousness could have guided me to her, who knows? The challenge was to transfer the drawing into an oil, choosing a suitable color scheme. The palette I still had from previous paintings still hadn’t dried up. From an economical point of view I thought I’d better finish what was left over. That is why the blue of the Ukrainian flag is all around in the negative space of this one. There are some hints of yellow I used before but also the rose-rouge-apricot plains that came from previous Risque paintings.
Oil on linen (60 x 80 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
34
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Creating Cleopatra – 23-02-24
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More than Cubism and Roundism
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Cleopatra – 23-02-24’ refers to a work under the same name I made back in 2018. That year I started my ‘Out of Egypt’ series and in retrospective I can see it wasn’t without a reason. Art Deco is on my mind for quite some time now under which flag I can show more. Cubism is very fine and I even forged my own style ‘Roundism’ out of it but I want more. Egyptian art I consider a big and heavy precursor to Art Deco. Obviously the latter was influenced directly after the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb. Surely, those Egyptians had style and swag. This drawing I plan to serve as a bridge between great artistic eras divided by oceans of time.
Hollywood
The reference picture was from the 1920s I believe and shows hefty quantities of light and dark. Also called ‘chiaroscuro’ the phenomenon could be characterized by abrupt shifts in tonal values. Through these a certain dramatic effect is created; meat for the beast I’d say! Next, why Cleopatra? Something occured to me, Lawrence Alma Tadema’s paintings of the ancient world served as an inspirational source for Hollywood. Without his artworks movies like Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille and Gladiator wouldn’t have been created.
Back to Egypt
At the start of the drawing I planned for some pareidolia effects. Then I saw the head of the Sphinx in her groin. However, I decided not to follow that trail. It was only very faint and proportions weren’t that ideal. The rugged carpet the model is leaning on wasn’t inspirational either. All of a sudden the drawing of 2018 popped into my head. From there it wasn’t difficult to create a small Egyptian world around her, inclusive a viper. Has she been bitten yet?
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
132
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Creating Third Rock from the Sun – 15-02-24
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My Compliments
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Third Rock from the Sun – 15-02-24’ I wanted to create for a long time. However, caught up in some projects in oil I had some time to think about the execution. First, let me start with complementing model Nina and her photographer. You probably know her from the series I made last year. If you like you can visit her website. She had a new photoshoot published and I saw one photo that got my attention. What a great lighting and thanks for letting me use it!
Rembrandt’s & Vemeer’s Legacy
Living in The Netherlands it’s imposssible to escape the legacy of Rembrandt and Vermeer. Surely not the inventors of chiaroscuro effects but they took lighting to another level. So no surprise there they are world famous. Consequently I became fascinated by the light too. So much so that I dedicated almost my entire work to it. So there it was, a great model, great lighting and now a theme. Deviating from the picture I felt was necessary. It always does because sheer copying isn’t my bag. This was the first time after ‘Neo Deco 18-10-23’ I used bristol paper again. I had it in me to combine that to the slightly angular approach I used in ‘Nina – 12-09-23’. This way I could use all the fantastically highlighed elements without the necessity to invent nifty cubist forms.
The Whole World in Your Hands
As always, whilst drawing I came up with an idea. Instead of the motorized house buddy she was holding in her hands I thought of mother earth. If you have reached this section of my art statement you most certainly care for environmental issues as well. Sometimes you have to listen to the universe. And so it came to be halfway through the drawing I listen to a news item on sea level rise. As artist I can be powerful and highlight that topic for a change. Not the first time though and perhaps you remember ‘Yeast – 18-09-19’. There you have it, the whole world in your hands AKA The Third Rock from the Sun. Threat her carefully!
Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
23
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Creating Art Deco Nude – 20-08-22
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Third One
This drawing ‘Art Deco Nude – 20-08-22’ is the third one in a row inspired by a Walter Bird photograph. However, after the last graphite pencil drawing ‘Roundism – 17-08-22’ I felt it was time to vary in style again. Strange how my inner urge works that way. So, straigtness instead of roundistic shapes. With both I have the intention to suggest roundness in shapes though. Perhaps my Roundism variations only get a bit more decorative. Maybe that’s is why I like to change. I don’t want Roundism to become over-zealously and explode into sheer exuberance. It could only lead to a collapse under its increased pumped up mass like a star becomes a black hole.
1938
In my last statement I already mentioned I was going to do another picture by Bird’s. There also was a different reason to do so. I recognized the model in the reference picture. She was the same I used for my oil painting ‘Loving the Alien (2011) (sold)’, sitting at the same cube. Back then I didn’t take notice. Consequently that also must be Walter Bird’s picture, even though the title to the picture suggests it’s from 1938. I always thought it was a contemporary photograph because it looks so modern. Immediately I have my oil painting ‘Homage to Alma Tadema – 02-08-22’ in mind. The reference picture from that one also looked very modern, as if taken yesterday. Could it be that all great works of art keep on looking contemporary? They convey beauty as infinity.
Composition
Being the photograph as it is, perfect, it seemed impossible to add something. Of course the model is perfect as such, being slender and well proportioned. It is exactly that I set out to put the stress on. Hence the vertical and the emphasis on the feet and hand in straight planes. I did a bit of elaboration of facial features because those were a bit too dark in his photo. It also counterbalance the impressive feet.
Pitt Graphite Matt pencil (Faber-Castell) drawing on Hahnenmühle paper (24 x 31 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
90
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Creating Delft – 19-03-23
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Preparatory Trip
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Delft – 19-03-23’ is based on a trip to that city only yesterday. You see, I was visiting the place with my parents in preparation of our visit to Amsterdam. Sunday the 19th that was, visiting the Rijksmuseum for the big Vermeer exhibition. The Prinsenhof offered a great exhibition on the times of Vermeer in Delft. After the visit to the museum we were passing by the Old Chuch, also called the ‘Old John’. The weather wasn’t particularly nice, yet not so cold anymore. Occasionally there was a reasonable amount of sun though. Suddenly I saw a motif that attracted me. A dark side in the canal, some shadows around the bridge and some branches contrasting the man-made church structures.
Honoring Vermeer
Since I fancy doing landscapes latety why wouldn’t this scenery be a perfect follow-up to the last one? For no particular reason I didn’t do much drawings on Delft yet. However, I love the place and it’s close to where I live. My only one was a surrealist drawing from 2017. Time to straighten this out and do a second one. Besides that, it’s Vermeer’s Year. About time to honor him. Soon weather conditions will improve and trees will be in leaf again. Delft will be so much more fun then.
Four Key Elements
When I come to think of it, I’m always attrackted to four key elements in a drawing. These are: the play of light and darkness, a landmark like a building, vegetation and water reflections. Trees only, especially in leaf and tightly packed, can pretty much amorphous. Buildings only can look a tad liveless. Therefor I like the very interaction between them. They give me repetition in variation and variation in repetition. Reflections in the water is a sort of bonus. Surely, things reflected in water can look mysterious. In a way water serves as a gateway to other dimensions. Can you detect them within yourself?
Graphite pencil drawing (Sakura 0.5 mm, 4B) on Winsor & Newton Bristol board paper (21 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A5 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
26
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Creating Den Haag – 09-02-24
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My First One This Year
This graphite pencil drawing ‘Den Haag – 09-02-24’ is my first one this year. Last one I made on Christmas day. In between I completed 4 oil paintings and I got quite the hang of it. However, after linen I also crave for painting on wood panel again. Those are in the process of layering them with gesso. Time to do a drawing again and why not one of good ol’ Den Haag, my residence. You can browse through my series on this city if you like. Throughout the years I made many.
St. James’ Church
In the centre there she stands: the Great Church or St. James’ Church. In town I often pass it by and especially during summer it creates spectacular vision. That’s due to cast shadows and segments of the roof glowing in the sunlight. This phenomenon always makes me stop for a second and I sometimes take a couple of pictures. Capturing the beauty of it all and promising myself to use it for an artwork one day. This is such a day.
Not the First Time
Not the first time that I drew this particular church. In 2015 I made a pastel. This time the angle was steeper. The effect of the light on the roof tiles and the zigzag pattern reminded me of the appearance of a jagged knife. First I thought of a rather cubist or abstract approach but soon I realized that wasn’t quite suitable. You see, the walls are not particularly attractive, rather flat. So no exciting patterns such as in my drawing of the St. Bavo of last year. Instead I kept it quite simple, just an impressionst view and of course an elephant. Not the first time that one came about.
Graphite pencil drawing (Faber Castell, Pitt Graphite matt, 14B) on Winsor & Newton Bristol board paper (21 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A5 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
121
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Creating The Infinite Waves of Eternity – 06-02-24
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The Infinite Waves of Eternity – 06-02-24
Contrasting Colors
This oil painting ‘The Infinite Waves of Eternity’ might look like something you have seen before. That’s right. It’s an elaboration of my graphite pencil drawing ‘The Infinite Waves of Eternity - 15-06-19 (Sold)’. Now it was time to convert it to color. Again I chose for subtle shades between complementary and therefor contrasting colors red and green. Students I often tell about comparing colours with human relations. These contrasting colors and mixtures of them create a maximal bandwith of relations and therefor emotions. To me it was necessary for what I had to say and that’s a lot.
Kizette
However, it is also an ode to Kizette, daughter of Tamara de Lempicka. The latter, to whom I already declared my eternal artistic love. That much is obvious. So I present you a chain of thoughts I had. The head in aforementioned drawing I wasn’t particularly happy with and I thought I could do a better job. Goldilocks this time perhaps? Ringlets could match the golden ratio curves in the waves and body perfectly. That thought led to Kizette. Googling her I saw pictures of Madonna in her glory days during her ‘Blond Ambition’ tour. Then I realized her hairdo was a perfect match to Tamara’s kid. She adores De Lempicka as well. Hence, the female’s head looks a bit like Madonna’s and the hairdo got more styled cubistically.
Art Statement
As to artistic considerations the drawing necessitated me to think and invent further. In my art statement to ‘Neo Deco - 05-01-24’ I quoted Oscar Wilde on ‘Life imitates art rather than art imitates life’. This statement is stuck in my throat as a hot potato. Somehowe it keeps popping up as a guideline for my own art. All these styling and swirls I made throughout the years must be for a reason, wouldn’t you think? Surely it had to be me picking up the gauntlet. So here’s my statement. In this postmodern world we created everything can be manifested. Consequently no one can make heads or tails of it. Anything goes. T.V. and the internet flood us with a rubble pile of nonsense. Such is also visible contemporary art. Not me, I want to create beauty and show people infinite waves of eternity.
Oil on linen (60 x 80 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
132
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Creating Batenburg – 02-08-20
Website link: https://corneakkers.com/2020/08/02/batenburg-02-08-20/
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Pittoresque
As you may know I often wander about and astray through landscapes I have never been before or in this particular case I know all too well. This village is not far away from Nijmegen, where I was born and raised. Upon my word Batenburg is a quite pittoresque village along the river Maas. Even though I drew my home town Nijmegen before but hardly any village in the neighborhood. Time to change that.
Castle in Ruins
There lay the ruins of Batenburg Castle and it so happened I saw them on a lovely sunny day when I went to my parents. The tree line at the left serves as an introductionary repoussoir delineating the castle ruins on its right. There were some strong tonally dark blocks underneath them. What I liked about the scene was the lighter bricks creating a stripy rhythym. They gave me some clear visible structures to get hold of. After all, because of the heavy back lighting the scenery was already was very dark. Nevertheless, I love these kind of types of light above depicting a landscape in full display of it. The moat surely is a bonus because it doubles all forms reflected in them, in reverse. That’s the secret to drawing or painting water.
Graphite pencil drawing (Sakura 0.5 mm, 3B) on Canson Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm - A4 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers
23
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Creating Neo Deco – 15-01-24
Website link: https://corneakkers.com/2024/01/17/neo-deco-15-01-24/
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An Elaboration
This oil painting ‘Neo deco – 15-01-24’ is an elaboration of a pastel of almost 7 years back. Together with my graphite pencil drawing ‘Roundism – 26-05-17 (Sold)’ they are prestudies for this oil. A bit late you’d say? Well, I have so many ideas and the best way to capture an idea is to draw it. Then I came to realize I was neglecting my ambitions with regard to oil painting a bit. Besides that, It’s always nice to refurbish an old idea and put it into color. Even though I sold both the pastel and the drawing something entered my mind. The colors in the first could need a bit of a redo. Especially after my last oil I fell in love with this matt green. Time for another Neo Deco!
Retro Feel
As said before I reminds me to the art deco epoque. To me it represents the patina of a bygone era. I visualize the smell of cigars, wood furniture and the look of a styled world. A bit goofy perhaps but I am not alone. Alledgedly Madonna has some Tamara de Lempicka’s in her house and you remember her song ‘Vogue’. “They had style, they had grace” lingers in my mind. Surely, such moviestars she’s referring to only strike a pose in front of the camera. Such a life full of beauty wasn’t in the books for my ancesters at least. But wouldn’t you agree to my remarks on bringing back the style a bit? It seems this world can use a bit of glamour. Not the cheap fake influencers ooze out but genuie new visual insights in true beauty.
A Bit of an Art Statement
Instead of mass consumption I strive to bring back the love for craft. Show how beautifully something of value is forged. That is why I don’t feel like belonging in this era, at least artwise. What do you think, me a bit sentimental? Today I spoke to a couple of students of mine who totally agree on this. They also know many others you think the same way. So, I’m not the only one.
Color Scheme
Now I set out to also employ the abovementioned green I had to come up with a new color scheme. The one in the pastel only knew red, blue and white. That was daring but this oil needed something else. First I enforced the reds but felt I was in need of orange as well. It serves as a counterbalance to blue. There you have it: two cool and two warm colours. Both complementary. Last but not least, I also took care of a saturational balance. That is why I kept the black and white colors serving as ligaments to keep all strong colors in place. A nice and very abstract female form. Probably one of the most abstract I ever made to date.
Oil on linen (60 x 80 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
313
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Creating Neo Deco – 12-01-24
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My New Style
This oil painting ‘Neo Deco – 12-01-23’ incorporates new elements. Motivated as I was to continue my search after my last one I tried out something new. You see, some time ago I made a graphite pencil drawing ‘Woman in a Red Kimono – 03-11-22’. To my opinion that one already shows all the necessary elements for my new Neo Deco style. An intricate linear play, repetition of forms and foremost a contrast between straight structures and curves. Maybe I realized what I actually to want to get out of the style. It resembles art deco closely but I think there is a difference. The latter was merely focused on architecture, apparel and sculptures. There were some typical deco painters like Tamara de Lempicka. Surely I didn’t see all of them but they merely focus on exaggerating and manipulating body proportions. I have different plans!
Woman in a Red Kimono
Aforementioned drawing became the artistic motif for this one. The goal was to enforce linear structures almost as if I would treat this piece as a drawing. Together with my paradigm ‘variation in repetition and repetition in variation’ I pursued a result sound yet vibrant. Obviously the challenge was to find a suitable color scheme. Originally I planned the satin cloth to be blue. However, during the process of painting this started to become a drag. Of couse I was stuck to the theme and had to paint the kimono red. Hence a green underlayer and I even kept a lot green in the attire, cloth and couch. My regular model is of indian descendance and in certain lighting her skin complexion turns golden yellow. Conclusion: the satin had to become purplish.
Color Balance
Last dots on the i’s were to soften the background a bit with muted oranges. In honor of art deco I decorated the couch with a typical pattern from that era. All in all, I think the composition is in balance now. Reds and yellows are engirdled by greens and purples. The unsaturated black lines serve as ligaments, tying but also separating planes of colors. This way weaker colors act as a counterbalance of the pungent kimono red. On to the next!
Oil on linen (60 x 80 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
146
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2
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Creating Berg en Dal – 30-12-23
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Website link: https://corneakkers.com/2023/12/31/berg-en-dal-30-12-23/
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What Color Can Do
This pastel drawing ‘Berg en Dal – 30-12-23’ is the second of new pastel editions to an ever growing series. The one I completed last December 19th exceeded my expectations. Frankly, I didn’t think I could add more to the reference drawing I made in May. Then you can see what color can do. After my Christmas drawing of December 25th it was time to get back in the saddle again. Nothing else to do either. Outside there is a nasty gloom and I like to avoid fireworks at all costs. This way I still have my eyes and hands on January 1st. Really, it’s a travesty indeed. People buy for 100 million+ euro here in the Netherlands. Foreigners often are surprized when they come to visit us. They say it looks like a war zone at 12 o’clock. Poor Ukrainian refugees. Those millions were better spent in the Ukraine!
Driving Force
Couldn’t this one major driving force: to create art and offer people perspective on beauty? By all means, my pastel chalks are way less expensive than a regular portion of fireworks. Another advantage: my colors don’t fade away instantly. Flares of color in the sky do. With this pastel I also want to convey another idea. Beauty isn’t about spectacular pops that rip open your eardrums but in silence. Hence my latest creation that speaks for itself. A wandering beauty silently expressing captivating colors. New Year’s resolution that now occurs to me: spend more time in nature.
A Blank Spot
The reference drawing I used for this one I completed on November 2nd. Even though that one was impressionist rather than cubist I decided to turn another way this time. Lately I feel I also have to delve into the process of abstracting landscapes in pastel and oil. Somewhat of a blank spot in my oevre. I always have considered my pastels more suited to create impressionism than cubism. Maybe that has got something to do with a specific aspect. Broken hatched strokes create these impressionistic views better than other mediums. On the other hand I always feel myself much of a cheat doing big planes with chalks. That’s easy and perhaps I fear of delivering sloppy and hasty work. Cancel fear for 2024 I’d say and try it anyway. This pastel of this beautiful scenery in Berg en Dal is a first start.
Pastel drawing on Clairfontaine Pastel Mat paper (69.4 x 49.8 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers
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