Drawing Angela on March 27th 2012

Some days are just right! Today we had amazing sunshine, it was really hot. Not everyone turned up at Angela Palmer's studio so we had lots of opportunities to move around and view the model from different positions. The model was the tall and elegant Angela from Hungary. What a set up!

We started off in the morning with three 10 minute poses. 

I consciously aimed to engage with these as 'gesture' poses, by looking for the essential characteristic of the form in terms of line, angle and tilt, and attempting to quickly capture the gesture of the pose and to support this with focused tonal emphasis.

Angela Palmer has introduced some ceiling ropes in her studio so that the model can use these to create something different to the more classical pose.

These are all A1 drawings on cartridge paper using willow charcoal.

  

Then, on to the main pose of the day.

From my position in the studio it was immediately apparent that the key component of the pose was the strong supporting right arm and the head tucked in behind the right shoulder. This became the most successful drawing of the early part of the day. This strong vertical dynamic in the drawing is counterbalanced by the block of dark tone emphasising the calf of the leg on the right of the drawing. I like the distinctive variation in mark-making in this drawing.

Then two more drawings from the same position.

Finally, before lunch I re-positioned myself in the studio to make an attempt to capture the turn and flow of the model's back and shoulders.

After lunch I lowered my easel and sat down, and changed to my fineliner pen technique, which has at its core a very different approach to the bold, dynamic and gestural attack using charcoal, as with the previous drawings.

Again, I found an alternative position in the studio in order to present myself with a very different challenge.

 Here, I wanted to capture the journey up through the pose, the tilt of her left shoulder and the lean forward of the upper torso, the foreshortening of her thighs. So in the time available I did two drawings.

In the above drawing I did no initial measuring or overall structuring of the drawing on the paper. I simply started in the centre, i.e. at the left nipple, and gradually constructed the shapes and lines both upwards towards the head and downwards along the outline of the legs. A result of this approach was that the feet were not included. I wanted to engage with the full journey from the feet to the head so in my second drawing from this studio position I made sure that the full length of the pose was included.

In this final drawing I experimented with introducing some cross-hatching to see how this worked with the more delicate and exploratory fine lines.

EQUINOX LIFE DRAWING: Suzanne on March 20 and Robin on March 22

No comment! 

Except to say that the first 3 drawings are of our new model Suzanne, at Angela Palmer's studio at Brockwier in the Wye valley, and then six drawings of Robin, high in the ropes at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud.

Also, except to say, for me the spring equinox is a special moment in the solar/landscape calender and generates a special energy in my life. Coincidentally, my usual life-drawing classes on a Tuesday and a Thursday this week sit astride this special day. During them, I felt good whilst drawing.  Upon reflection, I have concluded, that I am consciously pursuing two or three paths which have been recently emerging in my life drawing journey (I will attempt to clarify these paths in a later posting).

In the meantime here are my drawings.

Three life-drawing sessions: Helen on March 13th, Robin on March 15th & Jasmine on March 17th.

This week I attended three life drawing sessions.

The first is at Angela Palmer's studio in Brockweir in the Wye Valley. This is my regular Tuesday venue. Today was the second day we had Helen to model.

To start with I decided to de-construct the pose and to re-construct the parts into a new composition. I've done this before and rather enjoy the freedom it gives me in not having to address issues to do with the full pose, i.e. proportion, perspective, etc.

I am using a 0.3mm fineliner pen on A2 cartridge paper.

Then two drawings of the same pose as last week but this time I moved across the studio to view the model from the other side.
In the first one, I engage with a recurring them in my drawing of 'hard' and 'soft' edges, suggesting a strong light source on the model's left side.
This is a charcoal drawing on A1 cartridge paper.

Then bringing in some brown conte crayon with the charcoal.

The next drawing captures the model as she moves around, pausing for about two minutes at each pose.

So, that was Tuesday. Then on Thursday morning I was at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud, with Robin up in the ropes.

Fineliner pen and charcoal on A2 cartridge paper.

Then an A1 drawing.

These poses up in the ropes last for about 30 minutes.

This time I stopped drawing after about 20 minutes and decided to do a very quick A2 drawing of the same pose (see below). I started with the blocks of dark tone using my thick charcoal stick. I softened the impact of these blocks by caressing them with a rolled up piece of toilet paper. I then introduced some fineliner pen lines and finally punched in a few points of focus with a dark charcoal pencil.

Here I use a 0.8mm fineliner pen  on A1 cartridge paper. And, unusually, I include a suggestion of the ropes.  Sometime including the ropes is essential to understanding the pose.

And finally on Thursday I continue with the 0.8mm pen but this time using a light touch. I just fell in love with this pose, and wanted to do it justice. After completing the outline I asked Paul how I might continue. He suggested concentrating on a few selective points of 'dark tone', so this I did. And I am enjoying the outcome, very much.

So, on to Saturday at Tony Tribe's class at Arts Alive in Crickhowell, Powys.

To my pleasant surprise we had Jasmine as our model who I had last drawn on June 1st and June 15th 2010 at Angela Palmer's class in Mackenzie Hall in Brockweir in the Wye valley (I've been looking back at my blog posting for these two dates and comparing my work at this time with my current developments).

We had two 10 minute poses to start with.

For this first one I responded to an idea I had seen various artists attempt and simply repeated the drawing three times. I outlined the forms three times with a fineliner pen, then blocked in the dark tonal areas with a thick charcoal stick.

Below is the second of the 10 minute poses, with Jasmine resting her head and arms on a stool. I was very pleased with this outcome. I think I captured the form and gesture of the pose well, and my attempt to utilise distinctive marks, i.e. fine pen line, soft charcoal tone and dark charcoal tone, is made very clear.

These final two drawings of a lying pose allow the comparison with drawings of a similar pose on June 1st and 15th 2010.

Drawing Robin on March 8th 2012

I really enjoyed this morning at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud. Three ingredients contribute: an insightful and encouraging tutor, an able and experienced model, and critical and supportive fellow life-drawers. But I was also feeling very relaxed and free of any concerns or stresses.

For the above I'm using a 0.3mm fineliner pen which is running out of ink so leaving a fine line. I started by drawing the advancing right hand, then the left hand and arm, then the advancing left foot. The rest just fell into place (no measuring, etc.), achieving the gesture of the body as it is supported by the ropes high in the studio (in fact, at my eye level).

In this second drawing I am focusing attention on the head and right arm and then down towards the stomach. The back and bottom are dealt with as 'lost' or 'soft' edges. I could not fully draw the feet as rope knots hid most of them. This minimal suggestion of the feet I feel helps to take attention upwards towards the top of the pose.

For the third pose of the morning I just had to respond to the amazing curve of the body as it arched from the right foot upwards to the head. I again utilised a 'lost edge' along the concave right side of the body. To strengthen the concept I used my 24mm thick stick of willow charcoal the marks of which I softened with a rolled up piece of toilet tissue before powering in with some final heavy marks.

In the above fourth drawing I'm using a 0.8mm fineliner pen, and again building a journey up through the drawing. This journey is in the form of a series of 'steps' of concentrated mark making. Again the device of  the 'lost edge' helps focus the eye on this journey.


And finally, here is a rare drawing for me: one in which I have included (some of) the ropes.

Drawing Helen on March 6th 2012

Here are a few drawings from the day with Helen a new model at Angela Palmer's studio.

Firstly, two 10 minute warm-ups with fineliner pen and charcoal on cartridge paper.

Then the main pose for the day which Helen will resume next week.

Another quickie.

A somewhat abstract response using charcoal on clear gesso treated cartridge paper.

Drawing Robin on February 28th & March 1st (St David's Day)

I am posting 12 drawings of the 16 or so that I did at two sessions, firstly a full day at Angela Palmer's studio in Brockweir in the Wye Valley on Tuesday, and then half a day at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud on Thursday. This is my typical life drawing week: a day and a half.  Occasionally I go to other venues. Generally, I do no other artwork activity outside of these times.

I'm frequently asked when I will venture into paint. Yet I just love the immediacy of pencil, pen and charcoal.   I just love, and I am becoming increasingly fascinated with 'mark making'. In fact, these 12 drawings probably do illustrate the range of mark making issues and techniques which currently preoccupy me.

Drawing 1: two 10 minute poses with a 0.3mm fineliner pen on A2 cartridge paper. At the start of the day, so just a warm-up.

Drawing 2: a very quick drawing incorporating HB pencil and 0.3mm fineliner pen on A2 cartridge paper. I'm enjoying the delicacy of the mark making process in this drawing which also seems to capture very well the 'attitude' of the pose.

Drawing 3: a very short pose using an HB pencil on A2 cartridge paper, in which I am attempting to capture the essential form of the pose with 'confident' single lines following a brief outlining procedure with a light pencil touch.

Now for 4 drawings of the same pose. For the first three I am standing at my easel.

Drawing 4: this uses an HB pencil on A1 cartridge paper.

Drawing 5: an A1 drawing in which I focus on a journey across the page along the length of the pose.

Drawing 6: An A2 sheet of cartridge paper which had been prepared with a clear gesso treatment to the one half, in anticipation that it would allow me to juxtapose my fineliner pen technique on the untreated surface against my brushed charcoal technique on the coarse textured gesso treated surface.

Drawing 7: I lowered my easel and sat down for this one. So I am looking up at the model, particularly the head. I'm using a fineliner pen and charcoal, and incorporating some hatching technique. It's an A2 drawing on cartridge paper.

 

Now we are at Extreme Poses with Robin up in the ropes with a skeletal companion.

Drawing 8: How does one approach this unusual juxtaposition? Not very well from the evidence of this first drawing. The pose was held for about 30 minutes, and as the drawing developed I became very aware that the scale and relative sizes of the two figures were imperfect. So for the last five minutes of the pose I did a quick drawing in an attempt to correct this error. This is Drawing 9.

Drawing 9: A quick A2, fineliner pen with charcoal.

Drawing 10: Here I ignored the skeleton as I wanted to capture the attitude of Robin's pose which I felt demanded a quicker and bolder response from me, so the HB pencil  took over from the finliner pen. Again, it is a 30 minute pose, and I experienced extreme frustration in not being able to instantly capture the lay, the lean and the perspective/foreshortening of the pose.  But in the end I nearly got there.

Drawing 11: back to including the skeleton, and back to an A2 cartridge paper prepared with a clear gesso treatment to about two thirds of the sheet. This allowed me to use a fineliner pen in a dialogue with my brushed charcoal technique.
Robin embraces her skeletal friend, resulting in a surrealist juxtaposition of the two forms, as her head rests on its left shoulder, hidden beyond the skull.
I enjoyed creating this drawing, and I am enjoying studying the outcome.

Drawing 12: My drawing Nos 10 did not really capture the flow, and the 'poise' and 'attitude' of the pose. And as a result of this, together with the challenge of the morning of relating a live model to a 'dead' model, I was experiencing extreme frustration.
So my response to the final pose of the morning was bolder, freer, and unexpected. I outlined the basic from with an HB pencil, and I  intended to continue with this as a pencil drawing. But her right hand and her feet were not appearing in the right places in relation with the rest of the body. Also, I desperately wanted to bring forward her knees and feet to introduce perspective and foreshortening into the composition.
So I grasped my 20mm thick, jumbo tree stick of willow charcoal, and powered in to address the anomalies and incorrect proportioning. The first applications of charcoal were moved around with a rolled piece of toilet tissue. This softened and lightened their impact. The I followed in again with the charcoal stick to bring forward the advancing left knee and foot, plus a few other points of emphasis.

I felt this was a satisfying end to the morning.