The Science Behind Drawing the Figure Intuitively

When an artist is trying to learn to draw a figure in proportion and get the arms and the legs all the right size, it takes a certain amount of deliberate study, since there are all kinds of things working against him (for example, psychologically, we give more importance to heads and hands, so we tend to make them bigger; foreshortening in a lot of poses gives artists false cues about how limbs relate to each other). So there's a phase where a developing artist might spend a lot of time deliberately measuring out everything in the drawing to get it just right. 

But all of that academic study may still not give the artist sufficient grasp of proportions so that they won't still be a stumbling block. 

So I encourage artists to work a lot from FAST poses, usually 30 second poses, and to do a lot of them. Why? Because in 30 seconds, there's simply NO TIME to think about what you see and transfer that into something you're drawing on the page. Drawing fast COMPELS you to develop an intuitive understanding of the figure and it's parts as a single whole thing. With practice, it compacts that "conscious competence" into the subconscious part of the brain where it becomes a reliable, intuitive function. Not guessing.

Abraham Maslow identified this in his "Four Phases of Learning." To paraphrase, the first phase is not knowing anything ("unconscious incompetence") The second phase is knowing you have to learn ("conscious incompetence"). The third phase is learning and understanding, but only at a conscious, academic level ("conscious competence"). The fourth stage, which is where you've internalized the understanding to the point of intuitive understanding is called "unconscious competence." 

Unconscious competence can be as exotic as an athlete pulling an impossible play to win a big game or as ordinary as pulling into a busy traffic lane while talking to the kids in the back seat. Unconscious competence is writing out words without thinking of how to spell them, etc.

Hiring and Working With a Nude Art Model

"Artist and Model," by Angelo Morbelli (1909)

There’s been plenty written for people interested in going into the field of art modeling, but much less written for artists interested in working with nude models. Working from a nude model is a traditional pillar of western art, but it can be an awkward situation for the inexperienced artist. And it can be a difficult experience for a model too. I have to say, I’ve heard some horror story experiences from models, and I’m hoping this article will serve to make the experience a more pleasant and fruitful one for everyone concerned.

If you’ve never worked with a nude model in any capacity before, it’s very worthwhile to spend some time at an established class or art school that utilizes nude models, if you can. Besides getting comfortable with the situation (and it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit awkward at first), you’ll be able to see how people with experience organize and run such a situation, and you may even be able ask for advice and get model referrals. If you are starting somewhere where you have no access to such a class, I hope this article will be of great help.

Professionalism
The media may portray the world of artists and models as something exotic and titillating, but the reality is that art modeling is a profession, like any other, and models should be treated in a mature, professional manner, and also be expected to behave in a professional manner. An art model’s skin is their working uniform, and it’s important to remember it as such. 

Unlike just about all other professions, though, an art model’s job is one in which they are inherently apt to feel more vulnerable, both emotionally and physically, and an artist/employer should keep that in mind. So be professional:

2.       1. Do not be overly familiar

2.       2. Do not make any physical contact

3.       3. Be respectful

4.       4. Be reasonable

5.       5. Pay properly, and respect the model’s legal rights

6.       6. Be aware of the time

7.       7. Don’t be a pushover

A simple rule of thumb is that the more comfortable the model is, the better a job they will do, and the better your art will turn out. 

1. Do Not be Overly Familiar
Maintain a professional demeanor. Treat the model as you would want your boss to treat you in an ideal work environment. You know that nightmare that people have of finding themselves at work naked? Imagine if it were happening to you, you’d want your boss to carry on as usual, maybe pretend not to notice, and not to make you feel any more vulnerable than you already do. Be that boss—professional and friendly.

If you happen to be an extrovert who oozes charisma and magnetism in your everyday life, it would be wise to tone it down in the studio, to avoid any risk of being misinterpreted. 

People who know me may know I’m the king of inappropriate comments, but when I’m working with models in a classroom, I turn off that part of my personality. Not only can it make the model uncomfortable, but it can make me seem less professional to everyone else in the class. 

Even if the model is a friend whom you know well, when they’re holding a pose, they’re working. You probably wouldn’t want your friends bugging you at work, either. 

If you’re working with a model privately, overly informal behavior can make them feel uncomfortable. And if you’re running a class, you may also influence the students in the class to behave in an uncomfortable or overly familiar way towards the model or each other. 

2. Do Not Make Any Physical Contact
This ought to be pretty obvious. If you work in a factory, you do not want the guy you’re working for touching you, even if you’re in overalls and a welder’s mask. It’s annoying and it can be considered harassment. So don’t touch the model. If you want them to pose in a particular way, use words to let them know. Gender doesn’t matter in this case—a female artist has no more right to touch a model of any gender than a male artist does. 

If a model is doing a long pose (day or weeks long) the pose is usually broken into 20-minute segments. During the breaks, it’s not uncommon to outline the placement of the models feet on the floor with tape so they can step back into the exact positions—but still, tape around the model, or better yet, hand them the tape and let them do it themselves. Don’t touch them.

3. Be Respectful
Be the kind of boss you would want to have. Don’t be pushy, critical or unreasonable. Remember that you have hired the model to pose for you, and most models want to do a good job for you, so making their job harder or more stressful will only make it harder for you. If you want specific poses, clearly explain what you’d like, and most models will try to oblige to the best of their ability. But if they feel they are unable to hold certain poses, give them the opportunity to tell you so. 

If you have a problem with something about the model, bring it up with them privately. Do not embarrass the model in front of the other people. Every model I know seems to have horror stories about working for artists or teachers who were just horrible people, who bullied or embarrassed them in front of the entire class, and I’ve seen a few teachers seem to get a kind of erotic thrill out of ordering the models around and making them unhappy. One model I know was loudly criticized by a teacher about the color of her fingernail polish. Another model I know was asked to bend backwards—and hold it for four hours. 

If you treat your models badly, they have no reason to come back and work with you a second time. But much worse—you can get a bad reputation, and since most models network with each other, a bad reputation is one that will haunt you and make it much harder for you to hire other models in the future. Conversely, if you have a reputation as someone models can trust and feel comfortable around, they are much more likely to want to work with you, and refer other models. And if you’re part of an institution, the model may have recourse to complain to the management about you. 

4. Be Reasonable
“Kick your leg up in the air… and hold it there for 20 minutes!”
If you want a specific pose, by all means give your models directions, but remember the models are only human. If a model feels comfortable with you, they may try to go the extra mile, sometimes even when they should know better. Don’t ask for things the model can’t comfortably do.

Also, be aware of comfort issues like room temperature. Not only is the model in an emotionally vulnerable state, they are also physically more vulnerable to the conditions around them. You may be comfortable while the model may be freezing (and remember that very thin models and older models are much more sensitive to cold). Be sure there is sufficient heat in cold weather. If it’s really cold, offer them the option of posing in clothes or semi-draped. Always give the model the option of breaking the pose early if it’s too much for them or they get a cramp. I’ve known models who will pose through muscle cramps and fevers, and I was in a class where a model passed out in the middle of a pose. There’s no need for that. 

The kind of poses a model can hold for one minute may not be possible to hold for 5-minutes, and a 5-minute pose may not be possible to hold for 15-minutes. An experienced model knows what they can and cannot do, and if you give them the opportunity they can tell you so, which will avoid disappointment for everybody. 

If you’re working with an inexperienced model, it will be a learning experience for both of you. If you have experience, your directions can be quite useful for the model. If you’re new at it, too, the most important thing is to keep your eye on the clock so that the poses and the breaks are accurately timed, and communicated clearly. 

Specifically regarding long poses, even if you have the world’s greatest art model, I can guarantee you will observe some or all of the following phenomena: Muscle relaxation—as the model settles into a long pose their muscles will slowly relax. It’s more obvious with well-defined models, but it happens to everyone. Blinking and eye-movement, fingers or toes moving, or torso turning gently—models are only human, and holding still for long periods of time is unnatural to the human body. Some people’s neurology will respond to the unnaturalness with little motions. these aren’t really within the control of most models, and they shouldn’t significantly affect your finished artwork, even if they disturb your concentration a little bit. Breathing—Do I really have to mention this? Apparently so. Some people complain about the model’s breathing! As an artist, it’s better to learn to deal with these eventualities than let them affect your concentration, and if you’re running a class pass that learning along to the other artists there. 

Also be aware that good models may have a lot of other modeling jobs in the course of a single day, and you shouldn’t be so demanding that they are too worn out, injured or sick to complete their other obligations that day. Poses that can cause your models to cramp up or become sore, or conditions that can leave them with chills or a cough should be avoided. Imagine if you book a model and they have to cancel in the last minute because the artist they posed for immediately before you left them so sore or sick they can’t do anymore. Don’t be that guy.

5. Pay Properly, Respect the Model’s Legal Rights
Set a price per hour or per session and stick to it. Be sure to make the rate clear to the model beforehand, and that they agree to it. 

Also be aware that the rate for photography modeling is higher than the rate for drawing and painting. There are different laws involved in photography modeling and the models have different rights that have to be respected. This means NO taking “reference photos” for paintings or sculpture unless you’ve discussed and negotiated it with the model before you start. 

Generally, when you do a drawing or painting of a person, you have rights to that piece of art as your own creation. However, when you take photographs, the model retains rights to their own image, unless they legally release those rights to you by way of a document called a model release, which you should always use when photographing a model. You should keep these release forms on file, because you’ll have to produce them if you want to have your photos sold or published, or shown in galleries.

What rate should you pay a model? It varies considerably, based on what part of the world you’re in, and what you’re asking the model to do. The best way to find the going rate is to ask local schools or artists, but remember there is always some variation, and some studios pay more than others, like any other job. Also, each model has a rate they’re willing to work for. Some may ask for more than whatever the “standard” rate is. It’s their prerogative. 

6. Be Aware of the Time
As artists, we always seem to need just one more minute to finish a drawing. But be aware that more experienced models know exactly how long they can hold a particular pose, and running overtime can result in aches and cramps and make later poses more difficult for them. 

7. Don’t Be a Pushover
So far I’ve touched on your responsibilities towards the model, but at the same time, the model has equal responsibilities to you. You have a right as an employer to expect the same kind of professionalism that you show the model. Most of the time, everything will move smoothly, but there are a few common difficulties that you might encounter.

1. Lateness
Personally, I don’t mind if someone’s a few minutes late. Travel can be unpredictable, and things happen. But if you are teaching a class scheduled for a specific time, you also have a responsibility to your attendees to start on time, and more than a few minutes of lateness can make the paying customers unhappy. 

2. Last minute cancellations
Stuff happens, maybe a model gets sick, and they have to cancel in the last minute. But this is usually a pretty rare occurrence. If a model has to cancel, they ought to give you enough advance warning that you have sufficient time to book a replacement. It’s not reasonable for a model to cancel an hour before a class, since it doesn’t give you any time to book a replacement.

3. Unprofessionalism
Inappropriate behavior, poor hygiene, disrespect, compromised mental state (ie: being high or drunk) and even flirting, are much rarer situations, but they occasionally do arise. These can require a little more delicacy to deal with. For example, I’ve had a model who behaved inappropriately as a result of receiving bad news immediately before coming to work, in which case a few moments to compose herself before we started did the trick. 

Poor hygiene is pretty unusual for art models but it sometimes happens. Usually, they’re already more self-conscious about it than you are. The very few times it’s happened, I haven’t said anything, and it hasn’t been repeated. 

Compromised mental states may include being drunk or high, but sometimes it can also be a result of illness or even prescribed medication. Don’t judge too quickly, but do get to the bottom of it and discern whether it is a problem you can work around and whether it may be a problem in the future. 

Very occasionally, you might even have a model act disrespectfully. Don’t assume any of the above problems are meant disrespectfully by themselves, but if a model is clearly demonstrating they are unhappy with the job, or you or the class, that they are testing you, or they just don’t want to be there, it can create an uncomfortable work environment.

One summer I had a lovely young blond model that all the members of my art group really enjoyed drawing. At first she was excellent, offering us a variety of interesting poses, and really inspiring the group. But she quickly caught onto how popular she was with my attendees, and she started testing the boundaries by showing up later and later each time I hired her, and becoming lazier and lazier in her poses, to the point I had to give her direction for every single pose, or she’d just lay on the floor in the same position all day. She really pushed my boundaries too far. I stopped hiring her.

Flirting. Nudity is a two-edged sword. Just as a person working nude is in an inherently more vulnerable state, their nudity can also be more intimidating if they choose to act flirtatiously. It doesn’t matter if they are flirting with the students, other models or you, and it doesn’t matter whether the model is male or female. It may be perfectly innocent, but the recipient may not feel that way, and in any case, it will make all the other people in a class feel a little awkward. Should it happen with your model, be aware that they might not be doing it consciously. But intentional or not, make clear that the behavior they’re showing may compromise the work environment. 

In all the above cases, DON’T LOSE YOUR COOL. Don’t chastise the model in front of the class, but call them aside, and discretely discuss it with them in whatever way is appropriate, and strive for a win-win conclusion. Personally,  I feel it’s better to smooth over ruffled feathers and find a solution to make everyone happy, but also, when you lose your cool, you also lose your authority, because it looks like you’ve lost your control of the situation. That’s never desirable, especially if you’re running a class. If the model continues to behave unacceptably, don’t fight with them, just don’t hire them again. 

In conclusion, I hope this has been a useful and practical guide. In addition to running figure drawing groups for over 20 years, both in schools and independently, teaching art, and producing art events and draw-a-thons, I also have a few decades of experience in managing production departments and projects for major advertising agencies. My experience is, 99% of the time, when you treat your people with confidence and communication, and work with them rather than over them, they will give you the best they have to offer.

© Jeff Sauber
Thanks to Gerry McGann for catching the typos!

Change It Up!

Figure drawing is an endless process of observation and refinement. The more we draw, the more we look for detail, and the more we look, the more we find. At the same time, we're always improving our technique (at least in theory!). The more we draw and get comfortable with out preferred drawing materials, the more we develop confidence that is reflected in our finished drawings. And sometimes it works out just that way.

Nevertheless, there are other times we feel stuck, or we're not happy with something about our drawings. Sometimes we know what that something is, other times we're just, well, stuck. A common complaint people have about their own drawings is they don't like the line quality, or they feel like they're not adequately seeing the subject of their drawing. Still other times, we're drawing well, but we just lose our enthusiasm.

For me, the process of drawing is one of endless learning. I had a painting teacher who said "the purpose of painting is to learn something to take to your next paining." I don't know if that's the only purpose, but I get excited to find something I can learn from every drawing I do. Maybe it's some anatomical detail I never noticed before, maybe it's something about shading or about foreshortening, maybe it's the way the marks I'm making on the paper better define the image.

One of there best ways to get out of a slump, or to challenge your way of seeing, even your way of drawing, is to just change up your style or materials! In figure sketching alone, we can draw big, or draw small, we an use pens, pencils, crayons, brushes, watercolors, even oil paints. Typically, we settle on one way of working and try to perfect that, but you can find a lot of inspiration and perspective by simply trying to draw the same thing in a new way!

So next time you want a little more input, just change up your usual way of doing things, and see what you see.

What's New for 2016

Been a while since I updated the blog! I actually have a bunch of half-finished articles I think you'll find really useful, but it's been so busy, I haven't had a chance, and I'm kind of a stickler about making them the best articles I can. But I'm making a point of catching up! Stay tuned for more fun articles to come.

We have a couple of new, fun offerings for 2016:

Single Pose Class We're now presenting a 2 hour long, single pose class. It's a great opportunity to really hunker down and develop your visual acuity and get a very detailed, finished drawing. One nude model in a single pose for two hours (with a break every 20 minutes). We're currently doing it twice a month on Thursdays.

Classes WITH Instruction If you'd like a little formal instruction (or a lot), these classes are great. We have a nude model, and each class begins with some very basic exercises, and tips to help you capture the figure on paper and maybe see a little differently. These classes are usually pretty small, so you can get plenty of individual attention.

Special Events We're planning them now for the warmer weather! I hate to give too many specifics before they're finalized, but most likely you can expect more art sails aboard the Schooner Pioneer, Some unusual art workshops, and some social gatherings. And we;ll continue to list third-party events around town that may be of interest to our meetup members, even the ones that we don't organize.

Old Favorites We're still doing Sunday afternoon sketching featuring a nude model in an academic figure sketching class with both short and long poses, and our ever-popular draw-a-thon Draw-mania! that combines a variety show with a drawing event.

To find out all about these events join our Meetup group http://www.meetup.com/FigureSketching-NYC
It's free to join and will keep you updated with all our fun events.



Is there some kind of art event that you'd like to see us offering? Let us know! If it's possibly of interest to our membership we'd like to know!

Video from our first Art Sail of 2015

Our next Draw-mania! Art Sail will be July 26th. 2015, and you can find out more about it here:
http://www.meetup.com/FigureSketching-NYC/events/223571674/

But if you'd like to see a little live-action feedback first, have a look at our video:

Draw-mania! Sail 1 Sunday, June 28th.

 We had our first sail of 2015 (we plan to have several more this year). The weather was threatening -- in fact, when I arrived at the boat, it was misty and drizzly and looked like it wanted to pour. I had serious doubts, but we were already here and the boat was ready to sail. Due to the weather, we had a smaller than usual crowd, but everyone was excited to get out on the water.

The Schooner Pioneer is a big, old fashioned sailing vessel built 130 years ago to haul sand for an iron foundry, and not much has changed on the boat since it's working days. We motored away from the port, and then the crew enlisted some volunteers to help haul up the sails. And then the sun came out! The weather quickly and inexplicably became bright and clear, for the most part. The models posed around the deck, and the artists had to decide whether to draw the unique Manhattan skyline, the boat in operation, the models or all of it. Tough decisions artists have to make.
Below are a few highlights from the event. We'll be sailing again on Sunday, July 26th.--come join us!
You can find out more at
www.draw-mania.com
http://www.meetup.com/FigureSketching-NYC
www.facebook.com/drawmania

Draw-mania! sail Sunday, June 28th! 1-3pm.

Remember last year's Draw-mania! on the Water sail? The one on a 129 year old cast iron schooner that featured three art models and has a sell-out crowd of 40 artists on it? We sailed all around the tip of Manhattan? Well, We're doing it AGAIN!! Sunday, June 28th 2015, 1-3pm aboard the Schooner Pioneer. It's gonna be a blast!
This event brought to you in conjunction with The South Street Seaport Museum and Th Art Student's League.

(can't make it? don't fret, we'll be doing it several more times this summer. Keep an eye on our Meetup site).
http://www.meetup.com/FigureSketching-NYC/events/223123168/

 

We're Back At Sea! (Well, the Hudson River)..

Last August, we took the action onto the water-- three models and 45 artists, all on a 100+ year old schooner that went out around the tip of Manhattan for two hours. It was so popular, it sold out in 3 days!

You know we had to do it again! You can read all about it below, but if you just want the dates:
June 21 (Sunday, 1-3pm.)
July 26 (Sunday, 1-3pm.)
August 16 or 23 (Sunday, 1-3pm.)
September, weather permitting..
(Dates are subject to change, based on weather or other factors)
Ticket information will be posted Monday (Price ranging $35-$45)
For more info: http://www.meetup.com/FigureSketching-NYC/events/223123168/

It was so popular last year, we had to do it again!  Draw-mania! takes to the waters with a 2-hour art sail aboard the Schooner Pioneer! Join us for a fun and relaxing sail around the tip of Manhattan on one of the most scenic and historic boats afloat, with three inspiring figure models on deck!! How much fun will that be?
Bring your own art materials and refreshments of your choice, and expect to have a great time!

Made possible with the cooperation of Draw-Mania! and The Art Students League of New York.

South Street Seaport Museum's Schooner PIONEER and Draw-Mania!, the long-running downtown draw-a-thon and variety show, will be offering artists, art students, and others, the opportunity to sketch during a two-hour Pioneer sail.

Attractions Include:
Three live art models, the harbor, shoreline, other boats, Pioneer, and the crew as they sail PIONEER.

You will be provided with extra water, paper towels, a place to keep work till ashore, and once ashore, fixative for those who wish to use it.

Please bring your own materials, bearing in mind that there will be no space for easels.

See the sights of New York Harbor from the decks of the historic 130-year-old schooner PIONEER. The vessel, first launched in 1885, was built as an iron-hulled sloop to carry cargo along the Delaware River and was even featured in the pilot of Boardwalk Empire. Bring a picnic lunch, afternoon snack or favorite beverage as you enjoy sketching and your sail!

Special Draw-mania! price: $45 ($35 for Seaport Museum members)

Schooner Pioneer, (c) Jeff Sauber

All sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for tickets once purchased.

Weather:
We will sail in shine only at sail time. If rain occurs during the sail, but the captain deems the waters safe, or that it is a passing storm, the sail will continue. In case of continuous rain, the captain will return to dock. If the sail runs for less than an hour, passengers may reschedule for a rain date art sail. If the sail runs for more than an hour, no exchanges will be offered. In the event there is weather that is determined by the Captain to be unsafe, the sail will be canceled. Purchaser is then entitled to re-schedule at another time or credit towards another sail that can be purchased in the future. All weather related decisions are made as close to the time of sail as possible. If the sail is canceled, all online ticket buyers will be notified via email at the email address they provided when they purchased tickets.

Venue Details:
PIER 16 SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM
Pier 16
New York NY 10038

SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM
12 FULTON STREET
NEW YORK CITY, NY 10038

www. southstreetseaportmuseum.org Home of the 1885 Schooner PIONEER, Tall Ships America's Sail Training Program of the Year!

Another Perspective on Van Gogh

V. Van Gogh, Self Portrait, 1889
CLICK on all art to enlarge!

No question that Facebook has been cutting into my blog writing, but here's a blog post inspired by an on-line discussion of Van Gogh, and I think it extends into the whole media perception of artists, visual and even musical and film: we love our artists tortured.

There's no better tortured artist than Van Gogh, and for a century, we've speculated on just how tortured he was. Certainly, he had issues. His depressions are well documented, and there's evidence that he was self destructive, possibly to the point of losing an ear (though a recent theory blames Gauguin for cutting it off!).

But does his art, with it's explosions of color and strangely tight, yet disconnected, strokes reflect the breakup of his wits? Some have suggested it's a reflection of his world breaking up around him. Some have suggested he suffered from astigmatism and couldn't see clearly (then how could he see the canvas well enough to put the pain on it?). Perhaps signs of absinthe poisoning?

If you follow the textbooks you know it's any or all of these things. BUT...

If you're an artist, you know that art is a discipline more than anything. To get better at expressing yourself, even unleashing your inner demons, you have to develop a skill and a technique and that can take years. Besides, Making art makes you feel GOOD. Even if you, or Vincent, are having a terrible time, spending a few hours just painting or drawing is a wonderful escape. It's calming and, as I like to say, it's like running a comb through your brain.

Some years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. I saw the things you never see-- his beginning paintings, the art that influenced him, and he was placed within the context of HIS period, and not ours. And a very different Vincent emerged.

According to my friend: "...when you look at the development of his artistic style over the course of his career, his illness manifests itself very clearly in his brushstrokes and use of colors..."

To which I say: "Sure it would seem so, but when you go to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam you find a bunch of interesting things that dispel the myths. There's a wall of his paintings as a beginning artist. He starts out pretty average, but works with great discipline, producing up to three paintings a day, just to develop his skill. A lot of people forget that art is a skill that requires years to develop, both technically and strategically. 

Left, Woodblock print by the Japanese Master Hiroshige.
Right, Van Gogh's painting of the same

Secondly, Japanese woodblock prints (Hiroshige, et al) were taking Europe by storm due to the vividness or their colors and the use of broad, flat abstract areas of color, in contrast to the typical earthy European pallet (and consider how dark and moody the Dutch pallet had been prior to that modern age. There are paintings where Van Gogh copies Japanese prints, and paints in the style of those prints to learn how to use colors in that way. (you don't see those outside of the museum, much). The Asian influence, along with the desire to shock the establishment, were the biggest influences on impressionism. In that regard, he was just going along with the rest of the kids. And then there was the German influence. At the same time the Impressionists were horrifying the art world with their raw imagery, German chemical companies had discovered how to produce vivid colors that fueled the impressionists' madness.

And finally, he and his brother Theo owned an extensive collection of Gustav Dore's etchings, and you can find that illustrative style of strokes used by Van Gogh in both his drawings and in his paintings, where he was a pioneer of "non-painting" brushwork, but not the only one in his day (look at Seurat's pointillistic paintings).  
 

One of Van Gogh's drawings, utilizing the same kind
of strokes he used to apply paint.
Drawing of Montmajour.

Van Gogh may have suffered from debilitating mental issues, but he was also an extremely disciplined, dedicated pioneer."

I'd also go so far as to reiterate that I'm not sure whether his art was the expression of the illness or an escape from it.  

Dore's original
"Prisoner's Exercising."

Van Gogh's painting of Dore's
"Prisoners Exercising"

Images from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Are you more curious? Check out the museum's website: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en
Special thanks to Carl Allen Salonen.