I’ve long admired the expressive brushwork of painters like John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla, Frans Hals and Anders Zorn. Their alla prima technique – wet-into-wet painting – emphasises bold, abstract strokes that feel fresh and unlaboured. It’s a style I continue to pursue in my own work, using oils, slow-drying acrylics, and even in an app on an iPad.
Yep, an iPad. Figure drawing on an Apple tablet is as viable as on any of the best drawing tablets. For me, digital painting doesn’t replace the studio – it extends it. For artists rooted in traditional methods, it’s a way to keep creating wherever inspiration strikes.
