Drawing Penny on January 26th

Focussing on the clasped hands and three quickies, from drawing Penny at Arts Alive in Crickhowell.

All are drawn using HB or 2B pencils in both hands with additional charcoal rubbed in with the finger, on 220gsm A1 cartridge paper..



'my usual approach when it comes to hands and feet is not to attempt to actually draw them but to suggest to the beholder with a few blocks of tone and a few key explorative lines within the context of the pose as a whole. This is different. The focus here is definately on the hands and I found it challenging. A principal problem was that I was quite some way from the model and detail was difficult to ascertain'





'10 minutes of heated drawing activity as I grappled to capture the curled up form'





'another two 10 minute poses'



'also a 10 minute pose'

Getting into 'drawing' as a 'verb'

After today's life-drawing experiences, at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud, I have had my awareness of, and my insight into, the concept of 'Drawing is a verb' raised significantly.  

This is where I think I am at the moment:

• drawing with both hands simultaneously brings my whole body and my whole mind into the process
• I feel I have entered the space between myself and the model: I am no longer (as an artist) drawing the model (as a distant and separate object)
• using my unusual left hand (which I have to think about) causes me to also think about how I am using my usual right hand: I am relearning how to draw with my right hand, so I am now beginning to draw differently with it
• a drawing is no longer the goal, it is almost an incidental product from my immersion in the life-drawing process
• when a drawing is no longer a goal then a number of criteria for making and judging drawings are suspended, which deepens the involvement of the artist in the process

All these drawings use willow charcoal. The 3rd, 4th and 5th also incorporate a squared graphite stick to add some intermediate tone/shading. All except the middle one are on 300gsm cartridge paper. This is a delight to make marks on as it holds the charcoal so well.

The first two are 10 minute poses of Paul suspended with a pelvic harness and holding other ropes with his hands and bracing against other ropes with his feet. Approx A2.

Paul Fowler then asked us to include the next four 10 minute poses on one sheet. The third pose uses graphite sticks and the fourth two pencils. This is on an A1 sheet of 110gsm cartridge.

Here again are four 10 minute poses (I am sure you can work them out). A1 300gsm cartridge.

Finally two 10 minute poses. On the left suspended hanging up side down, and the is a sort of seated position.

"Where do they find these lines in Nature! For my part I see only forms that are lit up and forms that are not. There is only light and shadow"        Francisco de Goya

All marks if they are not dots then they are lines. However, I am trying to avoid lines which are outlines of the body and trying to compose tonal areas with my short, squiggly lines.

Three lovely days of life-drawing!

I have enjoyed the last three days of life-drawing.
I felt an excitement whilst journeying to each session.
I don't go with a plan, anymore!
I have my bag of pencils, charcoals, pastels, erasers and pieces of kitchen roll, brushes and tissue paper.
Each day I have responded to what is before me.

Here is Penny, with hands on hips: a 10 minute charcoal pencil on cartridge paper.

Penny then reclined for the main pose of the day. Over the next two hours I explored the pose. Firstly, with charcoal on A1 cartridge paper for two drawings, and then for the third drawing I used a 'tinted charcoal pencil together with a soft sepia pastel stick'. This worked really well, as I also introduced a little cross-hatching with the tinted charcoal pencil.

After lunch Penny stood with her right knee on a stool draped with a cloth. Firstly I did a quick 'familiarisation sketch' with charcoal. I concluded her head was incorrectly aligned with her torsoe.This next drawing is the result of a number of 'blocks of tone' being emphasised with charcoal layers which have been rubbed back into the paper with a kitchen roll. Highlights were then emphasised with the use of an eraser. I like the result very much!

On the second day we engaged with Gladys again. Firstly, some ten minute poses. The standing and curled poses together use tinted charcoal and pastel

The next uses charcoal on a smooth surfaced cartridge paper.

Then a much longer drawing, and returning to the pose from last week. My touches to the head seemed to work well, so I have enlarged this part of the drawing below in order to get a good look at it.

For the last hour of the day I decided on a change and moved across the studio to study the back of Gladys. This is the result of four or five layers of charcoal markings, and blocks of dark tone, which have each been rubbed back into the paper with a stiff piece of kitchen-roll. Highlights have been introduced with a white pastel stick in turn blended in with a caress of the finger.

On the third day I was at 'Extreme Poses' in Stroud with tutor Paul Fowler. He has an extraordinary skill of being able to engage with, and understand, the path one is journeying along. His analysis, guidance, suggestions and touches of encouragement, are (always) spot-on! Today, we were able to come together in our descriptions of the path I was developing in my drawing.

I am not going to attempt a commentary of the dialogue which took place between us, except to say I was lifted, fullfilled, given confidence, and came away exhausted from the experience of the steps I had taken along the path of my life-drawing journey.

So here is what I did today.

Firstly, a ten minute warm up drawing in charcoal, on A1 cartridge paper, rubbed back a number of times with a brush and tissue.
Then, three charcoal on A1 cartridge paper drawings, each about 30 minutes, with the first one having some dark tonal emphasis with a dark brown pastel stick.

Finally I used a sheet of very 'smooth' A1 cartridge paper which allowed the charcoal stick, used on its edge, to skim across the surface to produce a series of fine lines. I felt that this drawing brought together much that had been experienced over the past few days.

Drawing Jane 18/02/10

To start with, three ten minute quickies.

I am using conte crayon on white cartridge. I am enjoying the characteristics of the quality of line, and the translucency of the colour on the paper. I have seperately repeted the first drawing which is my favourite of the three as it utilises the 'energetic' sharp line of the conte crayon to emphasise the main features of the body. A 'mark on paper' which is becoming an attraction to me, and a characteristic of my work.

The main drawing of the day returns to the pose from last Thursday. So, as I had become fairly familiar with this pose (its form and structure) I was able to concentrate on the colour and tonal issues.

I believe this to be one of my most successful pieces: the hair colouring works well; there is a clear contrast both in colour and tone (direct light and shadow) between the two arms: there is an empathy with the geometry, structure and perspective of the pose; colour is exploited to the full; my above average height allows me a particular, unusual and advantageous viewpoint to this particular very 'attractive' pose. I am pleased to have captured the structural integrity of the pose, i.e. the two arms push up into the shoulders and are seen to give support to the main body. As a result, the legs stretch out into the distance, yet contribute to the overall status of the pose.

For the final piece of the day (about 45 minutes) Jane entered a new pose and I confronted her as she poised upon a stool and seemed to challenge me to draw. I think I captured this challenging attitude. A quick form, using charcoal, was emphasised with a dark brown pastel stick. I then ploughed in with colour, utilising my emerging preferred palette of colour/tone relationships.