Double-Model Day: 3

Here are four of my many A1 drawings from the 3rd and last of the double-model days over in England at Pegasus Art in Stroud.

Looking back two years

I've just been looking back through my blog which is a diary of my life-drawings over the past few years. Here are a few life-drawings from around 2012. They are very different from that which I am currently exploring with my two-handed approach. I like them a lot. However, so many of the issues which I am now addressing in a more academic and objective manner I feel I just accomplished spontaneously and naturally at this earlier time.
The big question I ask myself is this: What is the point in looking back at past works when the result is a feeling that one has not progressed? But I expect the truth is that one has progressed, or changed, or evolved, and that this is something which the self is unable to evaluate. So, I won't evaluate. I'll just go on responding to that which each session throws up and thereby taking a step, each time, in the creation of my life-drawing journey.

I think that it is a barrier to future steps to look back and analyse. If we look back to our past works then we will be building up a knowledge/experience base which will influence how we move forward. I am reminded of a quote (the author of which I cannot recall) "you need to forget what you know in order to draw what you see". I'll try and take this thought into the nextsession.

Having rejected the value of past works I will still post them, as I do in fact like them, and perhaps what is more significant I am pleased to show them as examples of past achievements which today surprise me.

Double-Model Day: 2

I feel, that today, I more fully engaged with the issues that two models generate than I did on 'Double-Model Day: 1'.
Here are all the drawings from the day. Most poses lasted about 30 minutes. The models returned to the three basic poses throughout the day. However, I slightly changed my position, sometimes sitting and lowering my easel and as a consequence looking up at the models (I usually draw from a standing position).
I like the introduction of the plinths, which together with the ropes provide a further point of energy into the dynamics of the composition.
I continue with my two-handed drawing approach which I have now begun to analyse and examine. My thoughts on this subject will be posted soon.

Seated female

The same seated pose as in the previous posting but from the other side, and an earlier drawing and from further away. Here I ended up addressing tonal issues, light and shadow, and with the introduction of charcoal to help develope the drawing from the initial two-handed pencil drawing, it took on a much more three-dimensional and sculptural quality from my more usual pencil only approach. Or did it?

Persistance pays off

Close to, and looking down, on to the model. The principal issues which emerged were: (a) the relationship (and scale) between the head and the lap, (b) the relationship between the two hands and the rest of the body, and (c) the placing (cropping) of the pose on the page in order to focus attention on issues (a) and (b). I hope this explains the challenge which I chose to address.
I am pleased with the outcome, and I like the introduction of some slight tonal work with my two-handed pencil mark-making.

Double-Model Day: 1

It's December 4th 2014 and Paul Fowler, at 'Extreme Poses' at Pegasus Art in Stroud, has brought together Robin and Natalie to intertwine their bodies up in the ropes and with two pedestals. Each pose lasted at the most 30 minutes. My drawings took less of this time.
I offer no evaluation or reflection at this stage, except to say that any approach or strategy for the day which I may have had in mind went completely out of the window when confronted with the creations of these two amazing models.

Forthcomig delight: 3 double-model days at 'Extreme Poses'

For the next three Thursdays Paul Fowler is bringing together two models who will work together on a number of poses. This is a drawing of mine from a few years ago in which I addressed this challenge.
I recall my reflections at the time, one of which was that the special issue of the two model pose was how to identifyy, respond to and capture such aspects as relationship, interface and dialogue. I anticipate that I will learn something of what I mean by this, this next time. I also wish to explore the depths around two concepts, a) we should attempt to draw what we see, rather than the object we are looking at, and b) what we see says something about ourselves.

Anchoring the pose: drawing Paul on November 27th 2014

I have anchored each pose to one or two sides of the page. This is to place emphasis on the focussed items, I.e. the hands and feet, by removing in a clear and deliberate manner the rest of the body. This anchoring also helps to project the limbs and their extremities out into the space of the page. This was a deliberately chosen strategy which aimed to help me concentrate on the hands and feet by removing a wide range of other variables, e.g. overall proportioning of the body, whether to crop and which parts to crop, overall perspective issues of the pose, etc.
All are A1, two-handed, HB pencil drawings on cartridge paper.
I enjoyed this session of 5 thirty minute poses, and felt extremely fullfilled.

Pre Egon Schiele: Drawing Robin on November 20th 2014

Here I am at 'Extreme Poses' again and we have the amazing Robin working hard at her exciting poses. I'm in an anticipatory mood, thinking about my visit tomorrow to the exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery - 'Egon Schiele: the radical nude'. My state of anticipation is twofold: a) confronting the work of one of the most challenging artists of modern times (and one of my artist idols), and b) looking forward to the impact that Schiele's drawings will have on my own work.

Drawing Martin on November 18th 2014

Before settling into the main pose Martin took up three short poses balanced on one of those large exercise balls. As the first drawing (the lower one) incorporated a strong perspective, from the head to the feet, I attempted to reduce the size of the subsequent poses and managed to achieve a perspective in the overall composition. This was a new departure in these  quick collage of poses. Usually the figures are simply placed alongside each other or are overlapped in some way.
For the main pose I tried to place emphasis on the advancing right foot together with the left set of toes and the hand, all three of which caught my attention right at the beginning.
I'm continuing with my two-handed approach and now find it is my natural way of drawing.

A special moment: like a kiss!

A few postings ago I suggested that my visit to India would stimulate a change within myself which would find expression in my life-drawing. There is no doubt that the experience was spiritually uplifting and emotionally challenging. How this has influenced the direction of my life-drawing journey remains to be seen. A moment which was and is very special is captured here: A wonderfully shared moment! 

The Kiss re-visited

I've just got very excited with a pastel life-drawing I did some years ago. So, I've humbly placed it in context with one or two of my current pre-occupations.