The Collector's Guide

A collector's guide to male figure art — from art history and contemporary painters to displaying and living with original prints.

Watercolor male figure art print, original work by Brenden Sanborn

The Male Figure in Watercolor: Why the Medium Changes Everything

Watercolor does something to the male figure that no other medium quite manages. This post gets into why the medium matters, what it demands from an artist, and what it gives back to a collector.

Read moreabout The Male Figure in Watercolor: Why the Medium Changes Everything

artist Brenden Sanborn in studio with powerful male nude painting on easel

What Makes a Male Nude Painting Powerful? An Artist's View

I have been painting the male figure for over two decades. People ask me all the time what makes one painting feel powerful and another feel empty. Here is my honest answer.

Read moreabout What Makes a Male Nude Painting Powerful? An Artist's View

watercolor art print in gold frame close up showing framing detail by Brenden Sanborn

How to Care for and Frame Watercolor Art Prints

A watercolor art print made on archival paper with quality inks can last well over a hundred years. The same print handled carelessly or framed incorrectly can start to show damage within a few years. The difference is almost entirely...

Read moreabout How to Care for and Frame Watercolor Art Prints

contemporary male figure artist Brenden Sanborn working in studio at easel

7 Contemporary Artists Exploring the Male Figure Today

The male figure has never been more alive as a subject in contemporary art. Here are 7 artists who are pushing that conversation forward in ways worth paying attention to.

Read moreabout 7 Contemporary Artists Exploring the Male Figure Today

original watercolor paintings showing texture and brushwork by artist Brenden Sanborn

Watercolor vs Print: How to Choose the Right Piece for Your Space

One of the most common questions I get from collectors is whether to buy an original watercolor or a print. The honest answer is that both are worth collecting. Here's how to know which one is right for you.

Read moreabout Watercolor vs Print: How to Choose the Right Piece for Your Space

contemporary male figure art print ink and line torso displayed in modern living room by Brenden Sanborn

Why Collectors Are Drawn to Contemporary Male Figure Art

Something is shifting in how collectors think about the male figure in art. It's not just about history anymore. Here's what's drawing people to contemporary male figure art right now.

Read moreabout Why Collectors Are Drawn to Contemporary Male Figure Art

drip style male figure art expressive watercolor print displayed in modern home by Brenden Sanborn

What 19th Century Male Nude Art Got Wrong About the Figure

The 19th century produced some of the most technically accomplished male nude art in history. It also produced some of the most emotionally vacant. Here's what went wrong and what it taught me about painting.

Read moreabout What 19th Century Male Nude Art Got Wrong About the Figure

watercolor artist Brenden Sanborn painting male figure art live at gallery event

Why I Keep Coming Back to the Male Figure

I've been painting the male figure for over twenty years. You'd think I'd have run out of things to say by now. I haven't. Here's why.

Read moreabout Why I Keep Coming Back to the Male Figure

male gaze art history watercolor portrait with direct eye contact by Brenden Sanborn

Male Gaze Art History: Who Really Gets to Look?

We talk about the male gaze in art as if it only ever pointed one direction. But when the subject is a male body, things get a lot more complicated — and a lot more interesting.

Read moreabout Male Gaze Art History: Who Really Gets to Look?