Drawing Penny on 22/03/2011

Penny put on a white silk slip for the 'quickies'.

Then she assumed the main pose for the day. A real 'perspective' challenge!

Firstly, I eased myself into the pose with a pencil drawing.

Then, on an A1 smooth white cartridge paper I took up an HB pencil, and then toned the drawing with graphite powder applied with a brush and then the finger. Highlights were introduced with an eraser.

Then, for the first time, I used charcoal on a previously prepared sheet of A1 cartridge paper to which I had applied a minimal application of clear gesso. For some time I felt that I had wanted to experience a surface which would hold charcoal much more than a medium weight cartridge paper. So here are my first two attempts. The 'experience' was quite amazing!

After quickly outlining the basic form with an H pencil, I vigorously went in with a thick charcoal stick to block in the areas of darkest tone. These were then brushed back with a coarse dry paint brush. I re-emphasised these same dark tone areas and then added the next layer of slightly lighter toned areas. These were all brushed back into the 'grain' of the gesso treated paper. I added a further layer to the darker toned areas and finished off by introducing some lines and marks with a charcoal pencil. [click on the image to see a close up of the marks and the texture of the drawing]

Tomorrow (Thursday March 24th) at 'Extreme Poses' I will really push this technique and see how my tutor Paul Fowler will respond (at my last session at Extreme Poses, he and I briefly discussed this approach, and now I have an initial experience to take forward and build upon).

For this last drawing (below) I again used a clear gesso treated cartridge paper but this time it was one of my very smooth, very white, papers. I did not rub back any of the marks, so all the charcoal marks you see are as they were made first time. I also introduced some pencil hatching which I feel is a worthwhile addition to the range of marks and adds to the character of the drawing.

In comparing these approaches I feel that the above drawing exhibits a much more sculptural and rounded feel to the human form, and that the second drawing is so much more 'flatter and lifeless'. I wonder what you think?