At 'Extreme Poses' on 16/12/2010

Hoisted up in the studio by the network of trapeze ropes the resultant figure appears to float in air. In these poses which last for about 30 minutes one of the main issues is that of capturing the perspective of the pose as elements e.g. hands, and particularly the feet, come advancing towards one, and the torso , shoulders and head recede into the distance.

In this first drawing I used layers of graphite powder applied with a brush for the dark tones.
In this next drawing I became aware of the desirability of applying heavier lines and marks to those parts of the body nearest to me.

In these final two drawings of the morning I again tackled this issue of perspective, and deliberately exaggerated the drawing of the legs and feet in relation to the rest of the body beyond. I gave them some further emphasis with tonal hatching.

In these final two drawings, with the encouragement of my tutor Paul Fowler, I worked hard to also introduce a 'continuity of flow' up through the composition; a kind of journey through the drawing before one's eyes. The aim here is to unite the closer and somewhat exaggerated elements with the more distant parts of the body, and so produce a more coherent, consistent and complete composition.

All four drawings are on A1 cartridge paper and I am standing at my easel less than one metre from the nearest part of the model. Yes, she is really close!

Drawing a new model at 'Extreme Poses' on 09/12/2010

I spent the morning at Paul Fowler's 'Extreme Poses' life-drawing class where the model positions herself within a network of trapeze ropes hung from the ceiling and tensioned to a fixing in the floor (but as explained in previous postings I do not include the ropes in my drawing and, in fact, become quite oblivious to their existence). I continued with my exploration of pencil, charcoal and graphite powder on A1 cartridge paper. Here are the four drawings from the morning, and a change from Natalie who has been with us for the past ten or twelve weeks but who is now in India for the next year or so.

Drawing Penny on 07/12/2010

As most of the usual courses have ended for the Christmas break a few of us gathered for life-drawing at Alex Brown's studio, over in England near Lydney on the banks of the Severn Estuary. Alex had asked Penny to model before she set off with her son to visit Nepal.
It was a good day for everyone who joined the group. Alex did not intend to do any teaching (he normally runs life-drawing classes, and in my view is a great teacher), however he could not resist offering really helpful advice but spent most of the time doing his own work. Which was inspiring!

We started with two 10 minute poses. I used a medium charcoal pencil on A1 cartridge paper. I lightly explored the basic form and then added pressure to emphasise the key elements of the composition. The frontal view of the model was my first drawing. It is then something of a gamble to do a second drawing on the same piece of paper. But it worked. And I love the way I have captured the model's curvaceous form and the turn of her body.

The main pose for the day I did two drawings at two different positions in the studio. In each case the imperfections, principally in the aspects of 'proportion' and 'perspective', I attempted to correct in the second drawing at each location.

In these I am pursuing my recently adopted technique of using an HB pencil to explore the basic form, followed by a 3b pencil to emphasise selected aspects of the drawing. Either charcoal which is then vigorously brushed down or graphite powder which today I applied with my finger, is then used to suggest areas of darker tone. All these are on A1 cartridge paper.

I then turned to a 'landscape' format for the second location.

Having spent most of the day viewing the perspective from the feet end of the pose I decided on a change and so for the last 30 minutes or so I set my easel close to her head and embarked upon a very quick and spontaneous response to the view before me.

Issues of: foreshortening (the right arm); lost edges (the right thigh); heavier/darker treatment of the foreground (the hair) and lighter treatment of distant elements in the perspective (the right thigh and knee), became highlighted in this piece of work. Also, strongly in evidence is the record of the history of the the making of the drawing, and this 'history' becomes an integral and important element in the character of the final presentation. The initial early lines of the HB pencil are allowed to show through the transparency of the applied graphite powder.

Drawing Ocean on 30/11/2010

A very enjoyable day at Angela Palmer's life-drawing class in the Wye Valley.
Started with two 10 minute charcoal pencil drawings on A2 cartridge. Searching for the form with light application of the pencil then 'firming-in' once the pose and its lines were found. Then four A1 drawings of the main pose for the day from slightly different positions with the principal issues of 'perspective' and 'line and tone' to the fore.

In this first one I was standing at my easel so could see the right breast and shoulder.

In the second drawing I lowered my easel and sat so that I could really emphasise the right hip and thigh and emphasise the advancing feet.

Being pleased with the two above drawings I stood after lunch and set about a bolder approach using HB and then mainly a 3B pencil to explore hatching technique. I feel unsatisfied with the outcome, particularly the consistency of weight of line throughout the drawing. In other words, I feel that a lighter touch would be more appropriate to the upper part of the body to help the perspective.

Sitting down again I feel this last drawing answered many of my frustrations experienced with the earlier pieces. Good points: POSE - advancing feet, celebration of hip and thigh, tilt of head. DRAWING TECHNIQUE - clear differentiation of marks, e.g. HB pencil, 3B pencil, tonal values of clean white paper and lightly applied graphite powder. Weak point: the right hand. I'm sure it is in the wrong position (see earlier drawings) and it is drawn too heavily.