Drawing Robin on March 28th

Spot the 5 drawings of Damaris (March 21st)

At Paul Fowler's life-drawing class 'Extreme Poses' at Pegasus Art in Stroud and today, something different. We are given a large sheet (112cm x 81cm) of heavy duty paper and a large board to place on our easel, and asked to draw on the same paper the five 30 minute poses which Damaris will take during the morning. We must avoid any consideration of ultimate composition, we must try to draw each pose as though we have a blank sheet, and we should start to draw that which immediately attracts us about a pose without thinking too much about it. This is a tall order. And it was quite impossible not to consider some aspect of a relationship between one drawing and the next.
I used HB pencils, mainly my two handed approach, and the principal outcome for me was that each pose was drawn with a different pencil technique in terms of line and pressure in the mark-making.
The two questions for you are:
1. Can you identify the five poses and which parts of the body is included in each pose?
2. In which order were they executed and the reason for your decision.




Answers:

1st - top right (two-handed drawing)

2nd - centre left (two-handed drawing)

3rd - centre top (a rather frustrated drawing, hence heavy single-handed work)

4th - lower outline drawing ( I turned the paper through 90 degrees to right for this one)

5th - centre right (lighter hatching technique with one hand, and back to portrait format)



Drawing Abigail on March 26th

Today's session includes four drawings of the same pose from different positions in the studio, plus three quick 5-8 minute poses. I really enjoyed it and felt exhausted and fulfilled at the end.

'trying out some new Derwent tinted charcoal blocks'



The following drawings all use a combination of: a) whetted tissue dipped in charcoal powder, b) a short length of 6mm willow charcoal, and c) some compressed charcoal to give a dense black mark.  



'some emphasis placed on the face, shoulder and hands with a different mark-making technique, to the rest of the drawing' 





'here I used a damp tissue dipped in charcoal powder to map out the sweeping curves of the pose and then used a willow charcoal stick and some compressed charcoal to develop the drawing. I re-emphasised the darker tonal areas with further damp tissue technique''





'two 5 minute poses'





'a three minute drawing (loved the mark-making on this one)'





'another three minute drawing'





'this in fact was the first drawing of the day which I carried out having reminded myself of last week's learning in drawing from the same location, and simply outlining the main composition with a damp tissue dipped in charcoal powder quickly followed with some compressed charcoal'



Some thoughts on where I am - Part 2

Some thoughts on where I am - Part 1

Drawing Abigail on March 19th

It takes time to get to know a model. Their character and personality and the way they approach their role as model in the life-drawing process are aspects that the artist will only gradually become aware of and appreciate over time. It also takes time for a model to settle in to a particular life-drawing venue and to make their own contribution. When the model and the artists, together with the tutor, all begin to know each other and begin to work together, there is no limit to the sense of fulfilment, to the degree of achievement, to the level of artistic attainment. And I am sure this applies to all parties. 

Today we welcomed a new model, Abigail, to Angela Palmer's life-drawing class at Mackenzie Hall, Brockweir in the Wye Valley. Last Thursday those who attend Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses class at Pegasus Art in Stroud met for the first time Damaris (see previous posting: Drawing Damaris on March 14th).

So, with two new models, in both cases my drawings should display evidence of:  exploration, enquiry and challenge; frustration, fight and battle; with glimmers of insight and breakthrough. And I think they do. To start with, in the simplest and crudest terms 'the model is an object to draw', however much one tries not to think in these terms. However, with time the artist will get to know the model, and the model will get to know the artist. A dialogue will emerge. A shared venture will result of which the artist's contribution will be a drawing which will be strongly influenced by what the artist feels than by what the artist is looking at.

Can we claim that we are drawing 'a feeling'  and not simply drawing an object.  I believe we can. Eventually.

To start with, three short warm up poses. An HB pencil in each hand, each on A2 cartridge paper.   

 

Then on to the main pose for the day, which we will also have next Tuesday.

Three drawings from the one position facing the model.

All on A1, 220gsm cartridge paper.

'a bold attack with charcoal: includes a number of layers of drawing rubbed back each time, and attempting to capture the left hand side profile of the pose, and also attempting to include the whole pose within the paper but this failed and both the feet and the clasped hands were eventually allowed to leave the confines of the edges of the paper'  

 

'the second look from this location. A lighter approach, less sculptural with a greater emphasis on clarity of mark-making' 



'the third look from this location. This time no lines, but with the knowledge built up from the previous two drawings I dipped a whetted tissue into some charcoal powder, made some marks by drawing the tissue across the surface of the paper, then added some darker marks with a charcoal stick on its side, and then on its edge'

Drawing Damaris on March 14th

Five drawings as I familiarise myself with our new model, Damaris, at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses in Stroud.
In my next posting Drawing Abigail on March 19th you will read that I have included my observations of engaging with a new model.
Today I used varying combinations of willow charcoal, tinted charcoal pencils, charcoal powder, often with some rubbing back with the finger followed by layers of over-drawing.

More of Helen from March 12th

'the layered drawing described in the previous posting showing the addition of the orange pastel'

'Looking further than one normally sees'

I have been trying on occasions to slow down the process of drawing and to spend more time looking and more time thinking both before I start drawing and during the drawing process itself. The approach to this drawing was designed to help.

It is always more challenging to crop a pose with some of the figure going beyond the edges of the paper. Without the whole pose on the paper one loses the context of the part remaining and sometimes the proportions and scale become contorted.

Here I have split the pose with her left side bounded by an imaginary diagonal across the paper, anf her right side against an imaginary vertical line. I certainly found myslef looking, and looking, and looking beyond and deeper than usual levels.

In adding tone to areas of overlap it was the drawing itslef which required extra scrutiny to decide which to shade. My decisions resulted in the right hand (vertical) drawing becoming dominant. However an ambiguity was introduced as the lower left leg of the diagonal figure received a heavier treatment so relating it to the vertical figure above. 

Drawing Helen on March 12th

I've just arrived home from life-drawing at Angela Palmer's class in Brockweir in the Wye Valley, and I've posted today's drawings straight away because I know that Helen is longing to view them. One of the drawings includes Helen in the pose which she took for two days (see also 'Drawing Helen on March 5th') and for which I am very pleased that she agreed I could include, as it is rare that one has the opportunity to see the actual pose when one is viewing the drawings. So I will add some comment and observations about the day later. In the meantime here are my day's drawings in a random sequence.

I've now returned to edit and add captions, after I prepared a pasta dish which I enjoyed with a bottle of Chateau Bernot 2010.
All drawings are A1 on 220gsm cartridge paper.






'this was a 15 minute drawing at the end of the day. By this time I had become very familiar with the pose so I quickly established the composition. Drawn with both hands using charcoal pencils, with some final heavier lines with the usual hand'



'I spent about 10 minutes adding to this drawing from last week with some darker tonal work using a thick charcoal stick'

'This was right at the start of the day with two 8 minute standing poses. I just felt the painted lips and finger nails were asking to be acknowledged. Pencil with some additional tinted charcoal pencil lines' 

'a multi-layered drawing using tinted charcoal pencil, charcoal powder and willow charcoal stick with each drawing layer rubbed back with either the finger or soft tissue, and finished with white pastel drawn across the surface to inicate the highlighted areas. The original incorporated coloured pastel and is shown on the next posting. This is cleary a black andwhite photo of the same'





'I had great fun with this drawing on my easel, which I will discuss in a following posting'

Thanks so much to Helen for agreeing to be included in the photograph.

As you will see she is in the pose which we had for two sessions on March 5th and 12th'



Drawing Paul on March 7th

Drawing Helen on March 5th

One main seated pose which I explored in three drawings.

All are on A1 220gsm cartridge paper.

In this first drawing I am using three tones: white paper, grey pastel, compressed charcoal, placed within a quick pencil outline, in order to familiarise myself with the principal elements of the composition, and address the light direction and the resultant tonal patterning.

I am also considering whether the whole figure should be accommodated within the confines of the paper or whether cropping should be introduced.

The weight taken on the right arm, and the diagonal composition, were also important considerations.

'addressing the principal issues in this fairly quick first drawing'

In this second drawing I briefly outlined the basic form in pencil and then accentuated the light and dark sides of the figure with a thick charcoal stick, heavily applied. I drew across the charcoal areas a whetted tissue which picked up some of the charcoal dust and spread (softened) the remainder. I went in with the heavy charcoal stick, again, to emphasise the highlighted outline of her left side and also brought forward the lower parts of the legs which were nearest to me.

'a more subtle (but in another sense a more dramatic) rendering of the tonal variations, and an attempt to portray a more graceful form'  

The character and nature of this third drawing was not intended. I picked up a Derwent 'tinted (sand) charcoal' pencil, sketched the basic outline of the form, with short straight lines. I rubbed these back, lightly, and softened them, with my fingers. I used a darker charcoal pencil (driftwood) in places and again lightly rubbed them back. I used both pencils in a number of diagonal hatching treatments, which I again lightly rubbed back.

Last week a drawing of Tracey was approached in a similar way. But I am more pleased with the outcome here.  

'for me a fairly rare event: spending more time on a single drawing, in this case about  75 minutes'

Below is a composition with two 10 minute poses.

Towards the end of the session I was fairly tired, and satisfied with the days journey in terms of drawing technique. But with 45 minutes still left on the clock I decided to have a go and try and capture something more of the character of the model. Helen is theatrical, colourful, and has something of the burlesque about her. Here is my response. 

'pastel and pencil'