Copies for Study

It's traditional to copy the work of masters of the past. From van Gogh's copies of Millet to Rubens' copies of Leonardo, it is a traditional way to study and learn. Ethical artists of course don't represent a copy as their own work nor try to sell it as an original by the copied master. Nonetheless, the best way to understand the work of another is to copy. You must study carefully and minutely, understand the decisions made by the other painter. In this way you assimilate his or her methods, and more importantly, internalize something of their thought process.

One of my heroes is J.C. Leyendecker, the great illustrator. He lived through two World Wars and painted many American heroes. These are copies I made of a couple of his best.

Hoff, "Patton, after JCL" oil on panel, 2010

Over the years I've made a number of copies of Mr. Leyendecker's work, from kids eating soup to pilgrims to military heroes, trying to understand him. It's clear from studying his paintings that first and foremost he was a magnificent draftsman. That man could draw anything and do it with panache. Further, he was a master of bold but yet somehow understated brushwork. I copied his portrait of General George Patton (above) in an effort to understand how he managed to make that leather jacket look so vibrant. Leyendecker understood value, color temperature, and hue remarkably well and made clever juxtapositions that I could only approximate. He makes the viewer see the smoothness and shine of the leather, its deep bulky folds showing how thick and warm it must have been. You feel as if you could reach out and run your fingers over those rounded folds.

"George Washington, after JCL," oil on panel, 2007

Another Leyendecker copy that I particularly like is a profile of George Washington. The original was a magazine cover illustration. In this copy I put red and white striped wallpaper behind the painting of the painting of Washington. This one was a lot of fun. Mr. Leyendecker was a master of reflected light, as best seen on the underside of Washington's wig, where the gold of his epaulets is reflected. As he did with the rendering of Patton's leather jacket, he makes you believe in the gold buttons, creamy lapels and collar and snowy white linen cravat. And the expression of gravitas is something he did wonderfully. I learned a great deal from this copy.

If you're a painter and want to extend your knowledge, try copying a work that you truly admire. The benefits are worth the time.