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 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'

Drawing Martin on February 5th

The second day drawing Martin, following on with the same pose from January 29th.

'during the day I moved my location in order to engage with the diagonal of the pose and the line of the journey up through the pose from the right foot, along the leg, picked up by the right hand and continuing up the arm and chest to the head. The mark-making process comprised:

• a two-handed charcoal pencil drawing of the whole form,
• then rubbing back with an eraser to leave a ghost image,
• then a second two handed drawing,
• then a small amount of finger applied charcoal powder with additional charcoal pencil to the darker tone areas again rubbed in with the finger,
• then finally an emphasis given to selective deep dark points with a heavily applied thick charcoal stick. 

So now to the challenge from last week: a prominant knee, a shin receding and a highly sculptured foot, made all the more interesting with a hand which tended to change position and expose a different number of fingers at different times). All are drawn with two hands, but slightly varying technique.



'drawn in the order from right to left: the first follows my recent squigly mark-making technique, the middle drawing attempts to use short straight lines the first of which were rubbed back with the finger and then additonal ones added, and finally the one on the left incorporated two pencils followed by charcoal powder followed by two charcoal pencils' 



'three 7 minute double handed drawings with charcoal pencils'

'the final one of the trilogy above which I would say is the most sculptural'

Drawing Martin on January 29th

This is the first of two Tuesdays drawing Martin, in the same pose, at Angela Palmer's class in Brockweir in the Wye Valley.

All drawings are on A1 220gsm cartridge paper.

 

'the real challenge in this pose was to capture the perspective and the form of the left leg, with the foot receding beneath the knee (and supported on a stool). To emphasise the attention I gave to this challenge I included the technique known as 'lost' or 'soft' egdes in the upper part of the drawing. There is also a clear decision to apply a tonal treatment using a thick charcoal stick up through the drawing in order to present a journey up through the drawing, of which the lower left leg is part'



'this was the last drawing of the day and in this quick drawing I felt I wanted to introduce a background into the drawing which is quite unusual for me. The idea was to introduce a dark tone to contrast with the highlighted side of the pose and emphasise the irregular outline of the body' 





Below are two drawings of the main pose.

In the first, of about 15 minutes, to get a feel for the form, I am using a graphite stick in each hand which work together as they follow each other around the paper.

In the second drawing I have a HB pencil in each hand and then introduce a tonal treatment with charcoal dust applied with the finger.

 

 

It was during the above drawing that the challenge of the left leg became really apparant.

So what was it that caused me to feel so challenged and then to return on the following Tuesday to spend up to two and a half hours drawing it, not once but three times? 

See next Tuesday's posting [Drawing Martin on February 5th] for a full explanation'

'the early morning warm up of three 8 minute poses, with a 2B pencil in each hand'

'beyond the act of drawing an object'

I sense that there is beginning to emerge, within myself, a sense of ownership of my life-drawing. Here is what I mean by this:  

• I no longer feel I am drawing an object.
• I no longer feel I am a separate entity from that 'person' who I am representing on my paper.
• I no longer 'consciously' battle with issues of composition, fitting it on the paper, and proportion, and I am oblivious to any attempt to accurately portray the model.
• If a preoccupation prevails it is 'mark-making'. I feel I want to make interesting marks. And I have discovered that charcoal has no bounds. It is infinitely explorable.
• Above all I am beginning to surprise myself by creating the unplanned and the unanticipated.
• I also feel that my work is beginning to have an identity which is particular and peculiar to me, although my researches find parallels from whom I can both draw inspiration but also further my own identity through a process of comparative analysis.  

I have entitled this posting 'beyond the act of drawing an object' and have already hinted of the current transformation in my life-drawing. 

For a few days now I have been drawing with both hands, simultaneously. 

It almost seems now to be the natural way to draw. 

Making marks through my left hand has challenged the life long conventions and sensations of drawing through my (usual) right hand. When I make marks through my left hand my right hand responds to the act of mark making in a different way from the usual  [I am still attempting to understand what is happening]. But I have concluded that by using both hands my 'whole self ' has entered the life drawing process and that I have become much more emotionally/intellectually and physically/tactily involved. In other words using both hands at once I am not only utilising both sides of my body but I am bringing into the process both sides of my brain. The implications of this I will be researching soon.

All drawings in this posting are on A2 cartridge paper. I am finding a significant benefit in using the smaller A2.

So here are 9 drawings from Tuesday June 19th at Angela Palmer's class at Brockweir in the Wye Valley with the model Carol. 

    

The first three are warm-up quickies (fairly conventional, and I am not excited by them).

Then three drawings which build upon the two small 5 minute drawings from last week. I am attempting to minimise the time spent on each and concentrate on tonal contrasts. Each is drawn from a different position in the studio, and for the third I lowered my easel and sat down.

I like these very much. They seem to extract the essence of the pose, and I'm excited by the character of the mark-making

Then three more drawings of the same pose, from different positions and elevations.

For the last one above I felt a strong need to move away from charcoal (sometimes I feel I have exhausted the potential of a particular approach for the time being), and used the double pen technique with some added graphite stick to enhance the darker tonal areas.


Now to Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud, with Dave high in the ropes. Whereas the nine drawings above were the output over the morning and afternoon sessions (6 hours with breaks) here my nine drawings were the output from the three hour morning session, with breaks and a long coffee chat.

All nine are drawn with both hands being used to make marks simultaneously. They are posted in the order they were drawn.

Drawing Jamie on 8/3/2011

A new model joined Angela Palmer's class at Brockweir in the Wye Valley.
Firstly, two A1 sheets of 10 minute poses.

Then two drawings from the same position.

First is charcoal on smooth white A1 cartridge paper. This mostly uses the charcoal stick on its side.

For the second drawing from this position three layers of charcoal each in turn rubbed back into the paper with a piece of kitchen role. Some fine lines were added with a charcoal pencil where the darker toned areas met the edge of the figure, then I used a white pastel stick with a touch of blue to emphasise the highlight areas.

The same pose but from the back. An aim was to see if I could bring the right shoulder towards me within the context of the perspective in the pose.

I then did two further drawings from the same position. No lines but simply using pastel sticks on their edge to mark blocks of tone.

I completed the day with a quick pencil drawing, with graphite dust added with the finger for the darker toned areas.

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.