Drawing Robin on April 3rd 2014

Continuing on from last week with a plinth introduced as a new support point in addition to the matrix of rope and strap suspended from the ceiling, presented new challenges both for the model and artist.
Increased tensions within the body shortened pose times from the usual 30 minutes to 15 to 20 minutes. My view is that poses are: more contorted; hold increased foreshortening and perspective; have more twists and turns. I revelled in the experience. I believe I usually look to amplify any of these characteristics which might be suggested by a pose in my interpretation, but here they were in their raw state.

My two-handed drawing is now my natural way to draw. Most are pencil but today there are two two-handed fine-liner pen drawings. All are on A1 cartridge paper.

Drawing Penny on June 11th

To start with two 5 minute poses. Both hands with an HB pencil in each to get the basic form and then some heavier lines with my usual hand.

All drawing in this posting are on A1 220gsm cartridge paper.

 

I started this next drawing with a fine-liner pen in each hand but somehow didn't really achieve anything I liked. I was uncertain about how to continue with the principal line directions, in other words how to introduce a consistency in the mark making. So I abandoned it after about 40 minutes or so with the option of returning to it later in the day. This I did, after I had completed the pencil drawing which follows.

The outcome of my deliberations concerning mark making, after completing this drawing is that it is possible to include a variety of 'directional' mark making, i.e. some squiggly lines, some contour lines, and some lines which are more descriptive, as in the drawing of the hair.

 

So here below is the pencil drawing.

I started with a very few light lines just to locate the main elements of the pose on the paper, and then decided to go all out for a singular diagonal hatching technique. I simply built blocks of hatching, lightly at first, then sometimes one on top of another and some applying heavier pencil marks. As this was taking place the three-dimensional form arose from the paper. The hand in the foreground received extra attention both to bring it forward and perhaps to act as a focus in the composition. 

 

Then after lunch I wanted to create for myself more of a challenge in terms of mental gymnastics (as opposed to improving my draughting skills). So I decided I would juxtapose two opposing views of the pose, in some way, and as there was a vacant space in the studio immediately opposite my morning position, it became attractive to include the two heads and then to see what would happen with the meet of the two forms. I had no idea at all how the two would come together and how the lines would relate and how any conflicts and contradictions might be resolved.  The legs, which were not included in the two morning drawings somehow entered the composition. The other new and important element for the composition is the appearance of the left arm, which of course was hidden previously.

 

The meeting of the two poses did not present me with any difficulty at all. Continuity and flow between the two just happened in a landscape of four breasts, two tummies and the high peaks of the lower rib cages. All of this appears suspended within a hammock suggested by the lines of the legs, and the whole composition is then anchored by the forward projecting left arm.

REFLECTION

I have touched on an approach to life-drawing on a few occasions over the past eighteen months which attempts a composition by withdrawing from the usual and standard, singular, and uni-directional drawing of a pose to one which juxtaposes two or more drawings in a somewhat challenging way,  i.e. attempting to study a pose from two viewpoints at the same time (as above); overlapping one or more drawings; placing two poses together to suggest a narrative; re-creating a new composition from dismembered 'body parts'.

I need to think some more about this approach, and perhaps bring together in a posting the evidence. In the meantime, I do have real need and desire to, every-so-often, engage with something different to standing at my easel in front of a model and doing a drawing. But, of course, it is never as simple as that. Ever!

Drawing Abigail on April 9th

I sort of played around today.

I don't mean frivolously playing around.

Behind these drawings of juxtaposed poses I am attempting to journey beyond the straightforward representation of that which is before me.

Perhaps I have been trying to do this for some time now, but I remain unsure of what it is I am seeking.

I believe I will recognise it when it arrives.

When it does I will not stop there and repeat it.

I will be moving on again, further along, in my life-drawing journey.

I've talked recently about drawing a feeling.

Recalling how I felt during the day, and also reflecting on the drawings now that I have posted them, I do sense a change in what I am experiencing when actually standing in front of the model.

The pencil or pen or charcoal is much more part of the search, much more part of the exploration, much more part of the emotion, than it has been before.

As a result, are the marks any different than before?

Why should I be experiencing this particular breakthrough at this time?

Is it a breakthrough or is it just one step, like other steps before, as I travel deeper and deeper into my life-drawing world?

Or did I just feel differently to day, for all sorts of external reasons? 

Apart from the second drawing which is of three five minute warm-ups at the start of the day, the others are the product of my moving my easel around the studio, and in the first and last drawing of turning my paper through 90 degrees, back and forth a number of times. These movements seem to be the result of my wishing to explore and draw Abigail in her reclining pose from a number of locations all at the same time. I do now believe that this experience represents a dominance of 'expression of feeling' over 'representational drawing'. It is an enhancement in the dynamic of the dialogue between artist and model. After having drawn Abigail for three days now, I feel fairly sure that her personality and her qualities as a life-model are playing a significant role in the new experience of 'drawing a feeling' which I have outlined above.

   



the paper was turned through 90 degrees a number of times during which drawing started with pencil outlines and then a simple bold lines of either charcoal or grey pastel to distinguish the two figures





these are the three 5 minute warm-up poses at the start of the day drawn with a fine pen. 





some exaggeration is included as I bring her right leg and foot towards me, with the intention of enhancing the sense of perspective



with the exception of introducing some tonal emphasis with a heavier mark-making, using my dominant right hand, this drawing was constructed using my left hand. Consequently the mark-making is lighter, is more searching, and of a much more exploratory nature than it would have been had I used my 'skilled' usual right hand [in earlier postings you will note I have been experimenting by drawing with both hands simultaneously, but this is the first time I have used my left hand by itself. Further comment when I have explored this approach some more]







I must have disturbed the other life-drawers in the construction of this drawing as I carried my easel back and forth across the studio locating myself three times looking up from her feet and similarly three times looking down from her head. The key decision for me was the relationship, and hence the nature of the dialogue, between the two figures as they emerged on the paper. I was asking myself whether I should resolve this meeting of two bodies and create a realistic portrayal of two bodies laying together or more simply overlap two separate drawings. I think in this case I did a bit of both [having tried to describe what happened, now I understand something of the dilemma, and I really want to do this again and explore it more].







this is the portrait format of the first drawing in this posting, and in fact was the starting format. I do not know what prompted me to turn the paper through 90 degrees, except that it was part of this desire to explore and draw the model from a number of directions at the same time which I have described above.



All the drawings shown are on A1 220gsm cartridge paper

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 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'

Drawing Robin art EXTREME POSES on January 17th

Further exploration of my established approach to drawing with both hands simultaneously. Including a return of charcoal this time in combination with pencil.
All on A1 220gsm cartridge paper.
Time for each pose is a maximum of 30 minutes, but I am tending to stop drawing before the end of this time. It is becoming important to me to know when to stop.

'the strong diagonal of this pose just asked to be placed on the diagonal of the paper and to be explored along its full length. Up to the last few minutes of this 25 minute pose there was something not quite right about the left hand - it was drawn weakly and too small, it had insufficient weight - a rapid erasing and a very rapid redraw solved my frustration' 

'Paul Fowler, our tutor, suggested I place areas of darker tone in first without any mapping of the overall form. This I did with charcoal powder applied with my finger and briskly brushed into the paper. With an HB pencil in both hands I then commenced drawing, and finally emphasised the darker tonal areas with a short willow charcoal stick and some more light finger rubbing. Additional pencil work completed the drawing within a total time of 30 minutes (but this included lots of long reflective pauses)' 



'this in fact was the first drawing of this morning's session with an HB pencil in each hand. I recall my left hand started mark-making with her left hand in the top left-hand corner of the paper and my right hand started with her right foot in the lower right hand corner of the paper (I am beginning to master independent action in each hand). Although her upper body was slightly arched backwards I feel I did not appreciate the full length of her torso and I exaggerated the dimensions of her buttock (I believe these imperfections were due to my over pre-occupation with the act of mark-making, and particularly with mark-making with both hands, and consequently I became diverted away from the issue of correct proportion '



'this drawing is made from a number of different mark-makings: pencil, charcoal powder, charcoal on edge and charcoal line both raw and rubbed in with the finger. Although this diversity has occured in the past I feel I want to pursue this approach in the context of my two-handed pencil technique, and will be including examples in future postings'

Robin at EXTREME POSES

The first life drawing session after the Christmas break, and I expect now to get back into my weekly postings.
I am at Paul Fowler's 'extreme poses' at Pegasus art in Stroud. I have travelled from Wales over the Severn Bridge into England, about 45 miles, with three colleagues, to participate in this unique, challenging and thoroughly enjoyable life-drawing experience.
The model is Robin. She has taken on board the opportunities presented by Paul and his triangulated, tensioned rope structure, and has created an art form in itself which we artists are totally intoxicated by, and stimulates us to immerse ourselves in our own art. We are privileged.
This is a three hour session with half-hour maximum per pose, and a good and welcome coffee break (to the model and us). It is pleasantly exhausting.
You might ask "Where are the ropes?" I never really see them!

'is it possible to achieve a pose of this nature without the suspended rope matrix devised by our tutor Paul Fowler? I don't think so. As you can see I'm looking upwards. The left leg has weight, as do the hands, and the angle of her shoulders is critical to capture. This is an amazing pose. Is the head too big? Not sure. It dominated this part of the figure' 

'Robin hung in the air, limbs dangling down, shoulders and head arched away'

'this time Robin was long, she appeared extended, and I tried to capture this elongation of her body, with both hands constantly moving up and down the paper exploring the form'

'this was a quick ten minute drawing'

'not happy with this drawing'

Natalie is back! At Extreme Poses on 24/03/2011

Yes! Natalie is back from India. What a pleasant surprise as we arrived at Paul Fowler's Extreme Poses studio at Pegasus Arts near Stroud to discover that Natalie, after her amazing adventure in India, wanted to continue as a life-drawing model. She told us she would be back, but I think many of us felt that she would experience something which would take her away from her life as a studio life-model. At the end of the session we were discussing our morning's experience and Paul told us that Natalie had mentioned to him something most significant: that she felt she was part of our drawing. I know what she meant by this, because she works extremely hard at creating an interesting pose, and then she works very hard at holding that pose for the required time (usually about 30 minutes). I believe she feels she is very much part of the processes going on in the studio, and not simply an object for someone to draw. We certainly feel that she is special.

This first drawing is a ten minute 'loosener'. I just wandered over the paper with a 2B pencil and searched for the form. It is on A1 cartridge paper.
Then, on to four 30 minute poses, on A1 cartridge paper on which I had applied a thin coating of clear gesso, to give a textured surface which would better hold the charcoal. I had experienced this for the first time drawing Penny on Tuesday (see my last posting).

Here, I went in heavy and bold with the charcoal to the darkest toned areas. I then pushed this back into the textured surface with a stiff brush. I then emphasised these areas again with charcoal, and finished off with a few selected lines using a charcoal pencil.

In this next drawing I did not push back the charcoal at all, so it remains rather heavy.

However, for this inclined pose, I vigorously brushed into the textured surface my first charcoal blocks of darkest toned areas. In actual fact the stiff brush was drawn over the entire drawing so leaving a kind of ghost image of the figure. I then went in heavy with charcoal to emphasise the deepest tonal areas and points, and finished with a white pastel for the highlights around the shoulder areas.

In the final drawing I repeated the above process, again with two layers of charcoal to the darkest toned points and areas, but decided to end by leaving the ghost to illustrate a stage in this new process I am exploring. So this is in no way a finished drawing, but come to think about it, very, very few of my pieces are finished or complete works in themselves.

Next time, I will get to this stage again, and then I will experiment with how this particular charcoal technique may be taken forward.

At 'Extreme Poses' again.

This morning I had some thoughts about lost edges and about introducing a colour to work with the charcoal.

In this above pose the foot came advancing towards me and I attempted to use the colour to help the perspective (everybody liked the foot). For me the colour did not work.

So I gave up the introduction of the colour and enjoyed the flexibility and malleability of charcoal by itself.

A week in the life......!

Starting the week of life-drawing by drawing Su at Angela Palmer's class at Brockweir in the Wye Valley.
Yes, we too have our Rubensesque 'three graces'. 10 minutes each at the start of the day. Then on to the pose as last week. I wanted to have another attempt at this one and tried to be fairly selective with the marks I made. HB and 2B pencil with graphite powder applied with a brush for the tonal study. I also wanted to address the perspective issue as the breasts, knees and feet tumble away from the main part of the body.

For the following drawing I moved in close to the model and looked down upon her shoulder and enlarged the arm and hand neared to me.

The second day took me to Paul Fowler's 'Extreme Poses' at Pegasus Arts in Stroud with the same model as in the previous two weeks, and again she is suspended within the matrix of ropes from beams in the studio.

In this next drawing her foot is advancing forward and quite near to me. I started by drawing her right foot first. Then I added her left foot. The other parts of the body were then inserted. The idea for the drawing, particularly its composition with the advancing foot as the principal and dominant element, is far better than the actual draughting technique of its execution: I would prefer to have the more distant parts of the body more lightly drawn.

So that is exactly what I attempted here: there is a concentration of marks with an increased pressure on the pencil to those parts of the body nearest to me, with the distant head being lightly indicated with a few selectively minimal lines.

On the third day I drew Penny at Tony Tribe's class at Arts Alive in Crickhowel in Powys.

At the start two eight minute quickies.

Then a standing pose. This was a straightforward standing pose with a slight twist to the body and the weight supported on the left leg with the toes of the right foot giving her balance. This is the second drawing I did of this pose and again I was more interested in the marks I was making on the paper than the accuracy in the proportions of her body (but its not a bad effort).

This was my final drawing of the day, which I was pleased with. I believe I managed to capture the forward slump of her head and shoulders, with the weight from her right arm resting on her thigh. I made a special effort to bring her right leg forward and down and believe the slight exaggeration I introduced here helps the perspective of the composition.