Drawing Michelle on 31/05/2011

My previous post ' What is the difference between Tuesday and Thursday?' has two drawings of seated Michelle wearing a head scarf done on Tuesday May 24th. As I liked the pose I decided to keep with it for the following Tuesday but positioned myself slightly to my left in relation to the model.

Rarely at Brockweir do I spend more than about two hours on a drawing and often I can end the day with up to six A1 drawings plus the usual six 10 minute quickies. However, today I worked on the one A1 pencil drawing on a smooth very white cartridge paper. This was quite a new experience and the experimentation with pencil was very rewarding.

I started with an HB, then built the drawing with layers of 2B followed by 6B and finally some 9B to punch in the deep tones.

I am very satisfied with the outcome!

I feel it scores well in the following:

(i) the composition on the paper

(ii) the scale and proportion of parts to the whole

(iii) the structural organisation of the pose

(iv) the sculptural quality given to the body

(v) tonal contrast and variation

(vi) the play of hard and lost edges

(vii) the marks made in constructing the drawing are still in evidence

(viii) a number of aspects are successfully dealt with, e.g. the foreshortened right thigh contrasting with the extended left thigh and leg.

DON'T FORGET - click on the image to enlarge, then click again to zoom in to see the mark-making.

What is the difference between Tuesday and Thursday?

Well, what is the difference? At the mundane level of 'time' it is about 48 hours. In life-drawing 'experience' the contrast could not be greater.

On Tuesday we are at Angela Palmer's life-drawing class at Brockweir in the Wye valley on the border between Wales and England. Here poses follow a classical format with the model following variations within the standing, sitting or lying positions. The main pose is held for two consecutive Tuesdays which allows oil painters and sculptors to work on a piece for up to 10 hours.

The first two drawings of Michelle on May 24th engage with the principal issue of 'gravity', i.e. the load and weight being transferred downwards: the body sits on the podium, the right leg is pushed up supported on a cushion and taking the weight from the arm resting on the thigh, the right shoulder is relaxed and lower than the left shoulder, the head droops.

NOW, CONTRAST THIS WITH THE NEXT SET OF FOUR DRAWINGS.

On Thursdays we are at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses life-drawing class at Pegasus Arts in Stroud, England. Here the model climbs up into a matrix of ropes which are fixed to beams in the ceiling. Sitting or lying poses are possible but unusual and challenging formations are more frequent as the body is suspended at about (or above) eye level in the centre of the studio

Posted are drawings which for me illustrate a principal and significant difference in the life-drawing experience between these two venues: 'gravity' and 'suspension'.

Our model is Natalie at Extreme Poses on May 26th. Each pose can be held for about 30 minutes only. So in the 3 hour session we have four poses plus one or two 10 minute quickies.

Please study the drawings and decide what different issues are presented to the artist and what the difference is in the life-drawing experience between the two classes.

5 sessions in early May 2011

I thought I might try something different in the way I post my work in this 'diary'. So here is most of the output from five life-drawing sessions from May 5th to May 19th in chronological order. Missing are most of my quick 5 or 10 minute 'warm-up' drawings which I am now doing in an A4 sketch book. This sketch book approach is a new venture for me and I am enjoying the small drawing which contrasts with my usual A1 approach.

On May 5th we had Angela suspended in the ropes at Extreme Poses.

Below are two drawings on A2 cartridge paper which has been treated with clear gesso to give a bite for the charcoal and conte crayon.

I then play with the orientation of the drawing and discover that the figure dances.

On May 10th the model was Gladys.

Firstly three 10 minute A1 drawings using charcoal and pastel.

I then moved close to the model for two drawings in which I am challenging myself with a perspective looking down upon her head and shoulders.

On May 12 we are again at Extreme Poses with Natalie for the early part of the session followed by Paul a new model for me.

The first drawing is a 10 minute study in tinted charcoal pencil on A1 cartridge.

The next is a 30 minute pose in pencil.

Then a 30 minute drawing, which I am really pleased with, in tinted charcoal pencil on A1 cartridge paper.

Then over to the new male model. A quickie to start with.

Then again using a tinted charcoal pencil I drew this pose which appears to be a classic seated 'thinking' pose but the model is in fact suspended within a matrix of ropes suspended from the beams of the studio.

Here I am attempting to create a focus for the beholder by placing emphasis on parts of the body from the left foot up to the right arm and left hand and then to the head. By contrast the curve of the back becomes a 'lost-edge' as do the hair and the toes of the right foot.

On May 17th the model was Gladys who is originally from Nigeria. I struggled with this first drawing but became interested in the technique of using a tinted charcoal pencil and rubbing back the drawing a number of times so bringing out the tonal variation.

I again took up the challenge of moving closer to the model thereby looking down upon her head and shoulder. This is an A1 drawing using willow charcoal on a slightly textured cartridge paper.

Then from a slightly different position and using willow charcoal and black compressed charcoal on a smooth A1 cartridge paper.

On May 19th Natalie was our model at Extreme Poses.

Firstly a 10 minute warm up. A1 cartridge in pencil.

Tinted charcoal pencil on A1 cartridge.

The following is a pencil drawing on A1 smooth very white cartridge paper with a touch of graphite powder applied with the finger to suggest the darker tones. This was a complex presentation of arms and legs and I was fascinated by the way each part of the body had another part behind it.

After the previous three quite difficult poses for which I had to really struggle in my search for a set of lines and marks to 'more-or-less' capture the gesture and more-or-less present the correct proportions I felt I needed a much bolder attack so I heavily used willow charcoal and rubbed each series of marks back into the paper a number of times.

Finally another pencil drawing with added emphasis from a light brown conte pencil

Drawing Marianne on 3/5/2011

The same pose as last Tuesday, when I looked along the body from the head end. So this time I chose to approach the perspective from the feet end. A very different problem, and a very interesting set of forms are brought together particularly in the perspective composition from the right foot up through the body to the head. A1 smooth cartridge using pencil and tinted charcoal. Then a side view of the same pose in charcoal and compressed charcoal on a clear gesso treated A1 cartridge paper. A number of layers of marks are each in turn spread and pushed into the paper with the pointed end of a rolled piece of paper napkin, with highlights using a putty rubber.

At 'Extreme Poses' on 28/4/2011

Pencil on smooth white A1 cartridge paper.

Drawing Marianne on 26/4/2011

Great to be back life-drawing after 20 days: which was filled with working on my small-holding and with all six grand-children visiting.

We have a new model but (for me) a familiar pose with the ever challenging issue of 'perspective'.
All drawings in this posting are A1.
Firstly with an HB pencil I explored the pose. I was unhappy with the form and the marks on the paper. I was about to abandon the drawing when I decided to 'make corrections' with a conte crayon. The drawing suddenly took on a new character and seemed to be working in terms of perspective and proportion. I quickly completed it and felt that a charcoal drawing, which I could tactilly engage with, might more capture the sculptural qualities of her body. An A1 beige newsprint paper, but with little or no key to hold the charcoal, did allow me to use white pastel to work in contrast to the charcoal to achieve a tri-tonal range. Finger blending was the tactile dimension.

I then moved my easel just over one metre to my left and within one metre of the model. This very close position allowed me to look down upon her.

For this drawing I used an A1 white cartridge paper which I had previously treated with clear gesso [see earlier postings]. This provides a coarse surface which holds the charcoal but also provides a grain to the paper created by the direction of the brush strokes when applying the gesso.

The drawing is compiled from a series of charcoal layers which are each pushed into the surface with a vigorously applied stiff brush. White pastel is drawn across the highlight areas and given the same treatment but with a more lightly applied brush.

I finally introduced an outline with a black compressed charcoal stick. Generally, I do not outline, and I have always believed it to be a rather crude technique, preferring to contrast 'emphasised-edges' with 'lost-edges'.

I had about 15 minutes at the end of the day before we finished so I very quickly and very boldly employed the techniques from the previous drawing to a selected part of the pose. This was an A2 gesso (with grey acrylic) treated paper.

To complete this posting here are my four 5 minute gesture 'quickies' from the beginnings of the morning and afternoon sessions.

Drawing Natalie and Angela on 07/04/2011

A most pleasant surprise greeted us today (Paul had hinted there would be something special this week). It was that both Natalie and Angela arrived in the studio and climbed up into the ropes together for four 30 minute (approx) poses. Most of us found the first drawing difficult as we attempted to discover and then address the new issues and challenges of two models in close juxtaposition. Although I had worked with two models before, the peculiar setting of Natalie and Angela being suspended together within the matrix of ropes created a symphony of lines and a poetry of forms not previously experienced. So my first drawing appears somewhat tentative, although I thought that I had instantly appreciated the flow of lines between the two models and the special inter-relationships between the two, I was unable to capture this in the drawing. Charcoal and conte on A1 smooth white cartridge paper. In the second pose, although from my position in the studio there was no overlap of the two models, there was presented to me the issue of contrasting poses in that Natalie is laying back on the ropes with a strong perspective, and Angela is leaning foreword. They have a commonality of lower legs and feet to the fore, which I was able to bring foreword, towards the beholder, with my usual slight exaggeration of the feet. Charcoal outline of basic form rubbed back, darker tonal areas again with charcoal, then some line work with a tinted (pine) charcoal pencil, and finally a touch of green conte to assist the tonal treatment. A1 smooth white cartridge paper.

For the third drawing I selected an A1 sheet of off-white recycled cartridge paper which had a bit of texture to retain and hold the charcoal as I rubbed back the two initial drawings. This pose presented a great challenge with legs interlocking and perspective in both bodies as they rested away from me on the rope structure.

I liked the way, in the previous drawing, how tonal contrast was introduced, which seemed an appropriate issue to address in this particular pose as it was presented to me in the lighting conditions of this studio. So for the final drawing I selected an A1 smooth white cartridge paper which I had previously treated with clear gesso. You will be able to see how I have started on and developed this particular paper/drawing technique in earlier postings from life-drawing sessions from the past two months. The coarse texture holds the charcoal and allows brisk and vigorous brushing. This drawing has four or five layers of charcoal marks each contributing to a build-up in the tonal structure of the drawing.

This was an exhausting and challenging session! I loved it!