life with both hands

I recently purchased a samsung tablet with a view to photographing my drawings as I do them and instantly posting them on my blog. However it will clearly take me some time to master the process, so in the meantime here is a current work to be going on with, and I expect to post the rest of my autumn work in due course.

Exhibition October 2012

I have selected two from the following five to go in an exhibition this coming week-end: see Art-in-Penallt

After the Summer Break 2012

These drawings are displayed in the reverse order from my usual postings: i.e. starting with the last from this morning's session, October 4th, then going back to include those from October 2nd, September 25th, 20th and finally ending up with my first drawing on September 13th. All the models appear regularly in earlier postings and so are easily recognised.

You will see a brief introduction of acrylics into the journey, but my evolving and often experimental exploration of charcoal, fine-liner pen and particularly pencil has seduced my attention.

In this posting I offer no description of the drawings, and no analysis and no self-criticism, principally because I am experiencing a new and complex depth of engagement with life-drawing which is not ready to be put into words. And I don't really want to spend my time putting it into words anyway. I simply love the experience: it is deep, it is emotional, it is meditative, it is fulfilling. So what follows is simply a visual record of drawings from 5 autumnal days.  

Bob: 'You must start painting!'

After a year or two, or three, of charcoal, pencil and pen, during which my life-drawing colleagues have consistently asked when will I start painting, I had the opportunity to attend Paul Fowler's Master Class at Pegasus Art in Stroud, entitled 'Drawing to Painting'. Most of us who attended were regulars at his 'Extreme Poses' life-drawing class, and he designed the three day course with us in mind. He supplied a selected range of Pip Seymour Acrylic Paints which most of us took advantage of.

Day One: studies and analysis of the two poses ending up with initial ideas for a final painting of each.

Day Two: without the model we experimented and developed ideas for the final paintings.

Day Three: back with the model we brought to a conclusion our journey of experimentation and development.   

This was the first time that I brought into my life-drawing journey the medium of paint. I had on a very few occasions used inks, and in relation to colour had used pastels extensively in my earlier life-drawing years. 

So, this is what happened..................................

'detail from Pose 1: head and shoulder reflection in the oval mirror'

'detail from Pose1: the artist caught in the corner of the square mirror'

'head detail'

'knee and calf detail'
[I enjoyed playing with the abstract potential of cropping]

POSE ONE

Below is the scene for the first pose.

Here is an indication of the process followed...................

'initial analytical keywords'

'the model, her reflection in the oval mirror, and the artist looking on in the rectangular mirror: a potential for introducing humour into the final work'

'as above, but realising a strong diagonal'

'the basic colour and texture zones'

'the geometry to structure the composition'

'reflection'

'the basic composition for the final painting'

This detail below of the final painting is selected to highlight the three figures in the composition: the reclining nude, her reflection in the oval mirror, and the image of (me) the artist (as voyeur, perhaps) caught in the corner of the square mirror.

POSE TWO

In this pose the model held herself within a triangle of ropes.
A length of transparent red plastic was hung from the ropes below her body.

'a familiar response: quick, energetic mark-making with charcoal'

'a second familiar response: a tonal study in charcoal'

'starting to engage with colour, during which her right leg moved  position'

'exploring a contrast between the figure and the red transparent plastic'

'acrylic on canvas: the context of the pose'

'not sure how to use acrylic paint'

'this is much better: detail from the final piece'

'a quick response using all the acrylics remaining on the palette'

THE FINAL PIECES

Acrylic paint was applied using strips of card with an occasional use of a brush. In the second painting additional charcoal marks are introduced using my left (unusual) hand.