Hunter 108: Exploring Movement and Expression

I’m excited to share a new painting with you: Hunter 108. This piece has been a journey, a deliberate exploration of loosening my style and focusing on the feeling of movement. It’s a process I’ve been refining, and I wanted to pull back the curtain and share some of the thoughts and techniques that went into its creation.

Again, this is part of an ongoing series of paintings I’m calling the Hunter series. All of the painting are from a particular model and image set I licensed from Grafit Studio. If you want to purchase the set yourself see it here.

Hunter 108 feels like a direct descendant of a previous painting, Reach and a newer one called Stilted. Both share a similar energy and a focus on the dynamic sweep of the figure. What I particularly loved about Reach was the looseness, the feeling of immediacy. It took just 1.5 hours to complete Reach which is a testament to a focused approach and pushing the idea that less is more. I’ve been trying to recapture that same feeling with this new painting, leaning on the color palette that worked so well before but especially focusing on more expressive brushwork.

The Power of the Block-In

The foundation of Hunter 108 lies in the block-in stage. This isn’t about detail; it’s about establishing the structure and overall feel and trying to keep that simplicity throughout the whole painting. Here’s the breakdown of my approach:

• Cover the White: Getting color onto the canvas quickly is key. Blocking in the initial colors helps me see the painting’s direction immediately.
• Value First: Value (light and dark) is the most important element in this stage. Getting the tonal balance right is crucial for the painting’s overall impact.
• Hues and Saturation: I’m aiming for close enough colors, avoiding the trap of hyper-realistic matching. Lower saturation helps to maintain the loose feel and prevents the painting from becoming too visually busy.
• No Detail!: Seriously. This stage is about big shapes and overall feeling, not precise features.

Above is the process photos over the 3 days I worked on this painting. If you want to see videos of this process you can see them on my YouTube channel, here, here and here.

This process isn’t just about laying down paint; it’s a crucial checkpoint. It allows me to quickly assess if the composition works, if the narrative is compelling, and whether the painting is worth pursuing. If it’s not working at this stage, it’s far easier (and less heartbreaking!) to make adjustments than to try and salvage a fundamentally flawed painting later.

Lessons from Greg Manchess

My recent mentorship with the incredible artist Greg Manchess has profoundly impacted my approach. His advice resonated deeply: “don’t try to copy the reference photo. Instead, express what you love about it in paint. He emphasized letting go of detail, “taking out information to make it stronger.”

He’s right. The goal isn’t photorealism; it’s conveying a feeling, drawing the viewer into the scene. This means prioritizing expressive brushwork and simplifying shapes. As he put it, we have a “limited language” as painters, and visual impact often comes from embracing simplicity.

The Zen of Looseness

Loosening up is a constant challenge. It’s counterintuitive – the more you try to be loose, the tighter your painting can become! You have to do it without trying. It requires focus, discipline, and a willingness to fail (and then learn from those failures). It’s a process, a rehearsal, much like an actor preparing for a role. As Greg said, it takes 100% focus – no distractions, just painting.

Hunter 108 is a result of these explorations, a step further down this path. I hope you enjoy it!