Charles Reid Interview in Spring 2008 Issue of American Artist Watercolor

Artist to Artist

Watercolor: What is your training in your art? How did you acquire your skills in drawing and painting?
Charles Reid: When I was 16 I took the Famous Artists School correspondence course, and I learned a great deal from the "painted criticisms". I sent in my work and then made corrections based on the critique I got back. It was a terrific experience. I also had an intensive two and a half years in Frank Reilly's class at the Art Students League of New York. It was very formal and academic, and it was the only academic class at the league at the time, in the early 1960s, because it was a strong Abstract Expressionist period. We drew from the figure every morning and painted in the afternoon or vice versa. We worked with values and not much with color. Later I taught at the Famous Artists School for 10 years. All this time spent painting and drawing really helped me.

Watercolor: You are especially well known for your figurative paintings. What attracts you to this subject?
Charles Reid: My early training was in figure painting. Capturing the personality and gesture of a model fascinates me.

Watercolor: How do you decide on a pose?
Charles Reid: The model takes a pose that is natural and comfortable, and I adjust it if necessary to make it pleasing.

Watercolor: What is your general approach for painting the figure in watercolor?
Charles Reid: I believe in contour drawing, and I always connect the figure to the background. Drawing is critical for the figure in watercolor. People can get away with poor drawing with bold and free work, but the drawing has to be right for the figure and portraits. I started contour drawing in the late 1970s and 1980s, when I was traveling a lot. I drew people in airports and found that drawing on the spot is the easiest way to learn to draw the figure. It's not contour drawing in the traditional sense of not looking at the drawing, but to look and draw on the spot is very helpful. I've had good success in class with people learning the figure in this way.

Read the rest of the article at American Artist.