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The first piece in a series of Ink and Marker drawings titled “The Principalities of the Seasons”, inspired by a desire to address attitudes towards male nudity. Male nude subjects tend to be rarer than female nudes in galleries and exhibitions, and are often assumed to be vulgar, hyper-masculine, or crassly humorous.
“The Prince of Spring” counters these assumptions by personifying the season as a young man amidst a fantastic landscape. He grasps intertwining cloths that cascade through the image, briefly twisting them to his own purposes before allowing them to flow off the page. Leaping into motion much as the new year does, his expression is subtle and sensuous. It bears a mysterious quality that suggests underlying emotions as strong as any Spring tempest. Scattered below him are flowers of the season – crocuses and pansies nestle among sprouting vines and seedlings, symbolising the riotous growth that makes Spring so joyful and life-affirming. The living flora give rise to the colour palette of chlorophyllic greens, cool yellows, and pale blues.
The drawing follows the artist’s experience in comic art and illustration. Pencils are laid down on Bristol board, and pigment ink pen is drawn over the top. A second, thicker pigment ink pen is used to contour the images, providing depth. The guide pencils are then erased, but some are retained to provide muted fine line detail. Finally, alcohol markers are used in three layers to provide colour – a warm colour layer to impart highlights; a neutral colour layer to set base tone and hue for the piece; and a cool colour layer to provide shade.
