Welcome to the Odd Nerdrum Research Pages!
Scraping and Sanding
You will see 2 videos pictured below on how to scrape and sand properly with the razorblade and sandpaper, like Odd Nerdrum does to gain his unique surface textures that seem impossible to paint.( but it's not impossible with the razorblade and sandpaper.)
COMPARING REGULAR PAINTING TECHNIQUES WITH ODD NERDRUM'S TECHNIQUE BELOW.
For a comparison, here are two artists that don't know how to use the "Odd Nerdrum Technique". Check out these FLAT Odd Nerdrum painted copies here, and here. Not to insult them, but that is the best way I know how of showing you the difference between "flat/dull texture" and "pixelled vibrant Odd Nerdrum" texture. They are flat not only because they are poorly drawn, but they are mainly dull because of the flat, "normally painted " texture, and muddy tone to a lesser degree.
Compare those two paintings with my "Odd Nerdrum Technique" paintings I did on the below. (click them to enlarge). Notice mine are much more vibrant, glowing looking, and interesting to look at due to the Nerdrumesque texture. It's all Nerdrum Technique. Pay close attention to the "glow", the "color patches or pixels" and the color and texture variations, that are extremely different than "normal" painting applications..this is characteristic of all of Odd Nerdrum's paintings, the "scrape down" technique which is explained in many demonstrations in the "research pages".
Above are my last 7 paintings I did in my Odd Nerdrum Technique experiments series over a few months, you'll see how I did them when you read the pages. Click them to enlarge, click next to go next.. The drawing isn't as good as Nerdrum, but the texture, color patches, and special "Nerdrum Glow" are almost identical to the originals of Nerdrum's. The main focus of my experiments was not to draw as well as Nerdrum..(although I do offer some tips about Nerdrum's drawing and drawing method in general, a Nerdrum student mentions the "sight-size drawing" method, but the "Baroque" drawing method is most used, which I explain in the research pages.). The "scrape down" method is not just used on the heads in Odd Nerdrum's paintings, but used on clouds, clothing, flesh, backgrounds, hair, and other areas to give a "misty" or "glowing soft" effect unobtainable in any other way, and to juxtapose layers of warm and cool over and under each other. . You can see evidence of Odd Nerdrum's scraping in almost every painting he does.
Early Rembrandt used smooth texture in his paintings just like Odd Nerdrum did in his early years of pronounced anatomy. And the middle aged Nerdrum and late old-aged Rembrandt used texture of tone and often of surface, and less use of pronounced anatomy. Nerdrum had a large print of "The Jewish Bride" by Rembrandt up on the wall of his studio when I saw pictures of it. Nerdrum is heavily influenced by Rembrandt's lighting and texture, but his technique is very different than Rembrandt. That is, his method of getting the desired texture is very different. (I don't think Rembrandt used sandpaper or a razorblade like Nerdrum does, razorblades didn't even exist. Rembrandt gained most of his textures by wiping out black/brown glazes from rough stroked impasto strokes. If Rembrandt did scrape down like Nerdrum does, it would have been some kind of sharp knife and shark skin.)
I would say that Odd Nerdrum makes up at least HALF of what he paints from his knowlege. Just take a picture of yourself in the same position and lighting as an Odd Nerdrum painted model, and you will see exactly what I mean. I explain what he makes up in the "research pages"(. Local color, tones, anatomy, textures, shines and reflections, and much more.)
See the next page to read Testimonials about the "Research Pages" and the offer.