TALKINGTECHNIQUES

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rings his portrait paintings to life

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oyals, celebrities, judges, clergymen, leading

academics and fellow artists – the latest

monograph of David Cobley’s artwork, All By Myself,

is a compendium of faces, each one a vivid, powerful

presence. Portraits are not the only thing the Wiltshire-

based artist paints, but it has been a staple part of his

work throughout his career and remains so today.

It’s clear that each painting is far more than a snapshot.

Portrait painting is an intimate process, one in which the

sitter often opens up about their life and thoughts – and

David’s paintings reflect his knack for striking up a rapport

with his subjects. “People have always fascinated me, the

way we think and behave and so on, and that’s one of the

reasons I took up portrait painting,” he says. “I’m quite a

shy person and, looking back, being with someone and

talking used to be something I found quite difficult, but

chatting and drawing gave me a way in – and I could chat

more comfortably because I had something to do; it meant

I didn’t feel as self-conscious. Painting portraits gave me

a way of meeting and talking with people, finding out more

about them and what made them tick.

“I want to spend time with my subjects to find out what

gets them up in the morning, what motivates them. I’ve

had some amazing conversations with some amazing

people,” he says, with past sitters including HRH The

Princess Royal, the late comedian Ken Dodd OBE and

ground-breaking stem cell researcher Sir Martin Evans.

David’s paintings reflect that level of empathy and

fascination with other human beings, so much so that his

style shifts to reflect each sitter. From precise brushwork

to throwing and dribbling paint or laying it on with a palette

knife or fingers, each is executed in a way that suits his

subject’s personality and interests. “I used to get hung up

on style, but it has to be subordinate to what you want to

communicate,” he says. “If you are experienced enough,

you should be able to work in whatever style is appropriate

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