"Odd Nerdrum Technique (the research pages)"
by Derek Van Derven



BACK | NEXT

PAGE 2

Scraping and Sanding

You will see 2 videos pictured below on how to scrape and sand properly with the razorblade and sandpaper.

COMPARING REGULAR PAINTING TECHNIQUES WITH ODD NERDRUM'S TECHNIQUE BELOW.

For a comparison of a "regular" painting technique compared to the Odd Nerdrum technique for a portrait head, go HERE..

For more 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 flat 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, real looking, and interesting to look at. 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".

To the right 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.). 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. You can see evidence of Odd Nerdrum's scraping in almost every painting he does.

Other than learning to model tone and ignore or make up tones, I wanted to capture the same surface textures and color patches as him,( the only real thing that made him way different than other painters, and way different than the "Old Masters", even Rembrandt). . Those areas of the flesh and cloth and rock and air that seem to "glow and grow" off of the canvas in tiny organic-looking (seemingly-impossible-to-paint ) tiny warm and cool patches and sometimes "wisps" that cannot be obtained by simply "tiling" the brush strokes or dry brushing or impasto or even glazing. See the next page to read Testimonials about the "Research Pages" and the offer.