The Use of Models

The use of live character models pops up very often for Greg, this is what he had to say about it.  “The use of actual models, for me, is extremely important.  In doing landscapes you’ve got a lot of freedom.  You can make up a tree, but to make up a human figure, that’s a lot more difficult, at least for me.  You don’t have a lot of lee-way with the limbs of a human body, as you do with the limbs of a tree.  So, costuming actual character models, finding the right character, that’s half the battle for me. 

Portraying the models character is one of the most elusive things I know of and what I usually do is try and get out of the way of the model.  Not direct them, just let their personality show through.  If they are little kids and they are modeling, sometimes I’m in the next room with a zoom lens just letting them be themselves.  To me that is the best way to get a character to come through. 

In doing a portrait, I like to try to say something about the person I’m painting.  When doing a piece with children in it, I kind of stand back and don’t do too much art directing at all.  I let the child try to do what is natural.”