Drawing Jacqui on July 30th 2014

I really enjoyed my two days drawing Jacqui and her husband Martin at Tony Tribe's Summer School at Arts Alive in Crickhowel, so I squeezed in the next day as soon  as I discovered it would be Jacqui again, even though I was about to enter a three day marathon of still-life with Paul Fowler at Pegasus Art in Stroud (where I regularly draw at 'extreme poses').
I had found my approach to my portrait of Martin to be successful (in fact I approached portraiture no differently to drawing other parts or the whole pose). Why should it be? Somewhere in the back of my mind I had considered doing a face would be, or should be, different. But it is not.  I have an extremely limited experience of 'portrait' drawing. So included in the days variety of drawings you will find Jacqui.
In the close up study, looking towards her left side, you will see I subtly moved my position in order to explore a slightly different view. In retrospect I was not able to fully understand why the first drawing was 'elevational' where as in the second drawing I was looking upwards so incorporating some slightly 'underside' views. I can only summise that I was getting tired and slumping in my seat, so viewing her from a lower position.

"brain, heart and courage" Day One of the still-life workshop

I made some notes over breakfast before driving to Stroud for the first of three days still-life drawing:

morphic forms,
surrealism,
Interpenetration,
'things that suggest vaginas',
inuendo,
ambiguity and complexity,
furthering (refining) my evolution of my two-handed drawing.

Here are two stages of the drawing towards the end of the day, plus a photograph from my position on Day One (if you search you will be able to locate the objects I selected to include). I started with the rose and ended the day with the shoes.
When I arrive in the morning I will find that all twelve artists will have been relocated, I.e. moved four places around the studio.

Thanks Jacqui & Martin

Thanks to the two models at Tony Tribe's Summer School at Arts Alive in Crickhowel.

Drawing Martin on July 29th 2014

Yesterday I loved drawing Jacqui at Arts Aive Summer School with tutor Tony Tribe. So, firstly a reminder of the drawings. Then today her husband Martin. Very lucky to have such interesting models who work very hard at their poses. Later in August I will be attending a double-model day with the two of them.

Martin has slender wrists and his legs slim down remarkably just above his pronounced ankles. The rest of his body is muscly and craggy and is an anotomical challenge to the artist. Hands are large, eyes are deeply set. So this morning I went from one part of his body to another, following three quick warm up poses. Hands, feet and head were a fascination. By lunch-time I was satisfied. Then a bolder attack on a full pose in the shorter afternoon session. I worked hard at this.

Tony frequently asks us to do two quickies at the end of the day. Usually these are used by others at the beginning of the day as  'warm-ups'. However, I do appreciate the value of this timing. My drawing may not be different, but I felt differently on this occasion: very relaxed, and my pencils floated across the surface of the paper.

All drawings are by my two-handed pencil approach.

Drawing Jacqui on July 28th 2014

After the challenge of the three days at Extreme Poses in Stroud, and spending nearly two of those days on the large complex drawing see the previous posting, I am now attending two days at Tony Tribe's Summer School at Arts Alive in Crickhowel, in Powys.
Today we had Jacqui in two fairly conventional poses, plus one or two quickies.
I was somewhat relaxed in my approach, having no particular plan for the day, and responded to the poses presented before me. Hence the drawings have an exploratory nature to them, containing many lines which communicate my searches for the form. None are considered to be complete pieces but simply explorations using variations of my two-handed pencil technique.
I enjoyed drawing today, but did not set myself any challenges which I hope to do so in the morning.
As usual, the drawings are posted in the order they were made.

3 days: 2 models: 'extreme poses' ... phase three: the 'final' work

I persevered. I did commit myself to work with this one drawing. And over time a narrative emerged, a design was formed, a set of ideas about the two bodies and their relationship became clear.
It is perhaps too early to describe the ideas, the content, the juxtapositions contained within this work.
I know that I fully enjoyed myself.
I know that I brought together and realised a number of recent pre-occupations and fascinations.
I am pleased with the outcome: the three days were worthwhile.
I will reflect more.

This is a drawing made with a HB pencil in each hand. Both hands contribute equally to the mark-making. One is no more dominant than the other.

I normally work on A1 cartridge paper but this drawing is much bigger. It measures 82cm x 113cm (I had to frequently adjust its elevation on the easel).

I was privaleged to be close to the models. No more than about one metre and a half away. On occasions a foot or a hand or some other part of their body was closer.

I have attempted to place this work in a context. I have discovered the work of artists who I can relate to. For now I will suggest that it comes within 'surrealism' and 'morphism'. I will post a number of images which explain this suggestion in the near future.

3 days: 2 models: 'extreme poses' ... phase two: some singular studies

After exploring a large drawing (see previous posting) which engaged two of my emergent pre-occupations, ie. surrealism and morphism, I kind of chickened out from continuing with a large and complex drawing and retired into a comfort zone of A1 studies.
However, the final two drawings awakened my interest in the key issue of this three day workshop which was all about how the two models engaged with each other and created a dialogue between themselves but also created or suggested a potential narrative which we as artists could respond to and interpret in our own way.
By the start of the second day I took hold of myself and decided to persue my original aim to work on one drawing. I will publish this on my next posting.

An additional observation: I just love the last two of these six drawings. For me they convey the dialogue between the two bodies, and they challege the beholder to understand the pose. Am I right?

3 days: 2 models: 'extreme poses' ... phase one: exploring a possibility

My intention was to spend as much of the three days on one drawing as I could.
Robin and Paul were up in the ropes: they created three basic half-hour poses, and some individual 'rest' poses, which they returned to and repeated throughout the three days.
I spent the best part of the first morning on this drawing, but was unhappy with the way it evolved. You can see my main piece in a later posting: phase 3.
This drawing is on a heavy card measuring 82cm x 113cm, and is drawn with my natural approach, I.e. my two-handed pencil method.

Robin, our model, was in great form, and I think I was too!

Five 30 minute poses, up in the ropes, at Extreme Poses. All are in two-handed pencil. A1 220gsm cartridge paper. Drawn on the back of earlier drawings: I've started a clear out again. Always difficult to throw stuff away, but at least I'm keeping the earlier drawing for a while longer.

Yes! Robin was really on form.

Drawing Robin on July 3rd 2014

It is fascinating to find how one's mood changes through the sequence of five poses. The main evidence of this is in the character of mark-making.

Dialogue between the artist and the model: something special!

Penny brings out the best in me. Something special.
I have had the privalege of drawing Penny for about six years.
When an artist and a model become friends so many barriers are disolved.

Drawing Paul (the gardener) at Extreme Poses on June 26th 2014

Drawing number three achieves a breakthrough.
Some thoughts on this in one of my next postings.