Figure painting

For the hobby of painting miniature figures, figurative paintings and model figures, see Figure painting (hobby).

Woman at her Bath, by Edgar Degas, ca. 1885.

Figure painting is a form of the visual arts in which the artist uses a live model as the subject of a two-dimensional piece of artwork using paint as the medium. The live model can be either nude or partly or fully clothed and the painting is a representation of the full body of the model. It is analogous in most respects to figure drawing, which is usually done in crayon, ink, pencil, watercolor or mixed media on paper.

Some artists well known for figure painting are Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, and Édouard Manet.

Media

"The Little Shepherdess, 19th century figure oil painting, by Paul Peel

Nudes paintings are found in every medium available, such as oil, watercolor, pastel and digital.

A popular technique is the use of acrylic paint, due to its faster drying time. The paint has the capability for modification, allowing similar results as watercolor or oil but in less time. This is in theory ideal for figure painting, requiring less sitting time with an art model, and reducing reliance on photo or drawn references.

Ink is another popular medium. The artist will often start with graphite pencil to sketch or outline the drawing, and then finalize the line work with a pen or brush, in permanent ink. When the ink is diluted with water, it produces subtle gradations, a technique known as ink wash. Once the ink has dried, the artist may erase the pencil marks, or leave them in place if the darker ink renders them barely visible.

"Psalm LXIX" watercolour figure painting by British Painter Edward Clifford.

See also

• Depictions of nudity
• Figure drawing
• Model (art)
• Nudity