Abigail meets Abigail meets Abigail

Firstly two ten minute poses then into the main pose which I started at the eye in an attempt to create a narrative about their relationship. Their eye contact certainly suggests one to me. What do you think?

The whole drawing is made by using both hands and I am making a clear distinction between the two mark-making approaches. In the more linear approach the two pencils search almost independently of each other for the form of the body. In the more tonal squiggle approach the two pencils work very closely together.

All my drawing is now two-handed. It's becoming quite natural to me.   

 

 

 

 

 

'LIFE as we see it' exhibition

This is the annual exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculptures of the human figure by those who attend Angela Palmer's life-classes at Brockweir in The Wye Valley.

The exhibition runs from April 14th to May 7th.

The Garden Room

Taurus Crafts

Lydney

GL15 6BU

01594 844841

www.tauruscrafts.co.uk

I have three drawings on display from the past year.

All are A1 on 220gsm cartridge paper.



'rest and reflection'

charcoal and white pastel on clear gesso-cartridge





'female nude totally relaxed'

two-handed pencil drawing





'male nude with mohawk hairstyle'

two-handed pencil drawing



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 Paul at EXTREME POSES on January 24th

No life-drawing on Tuesday as I spent the day digging ourselves out from the heavey snows of the last few days. So it was with great anticipation for a good draw that I battled my way in my Land Rover Discovery to meet up with Marianne and drive over into England and spend the morning at Extreme Poses. On the journey we talked enthusiastically about our current life-drawing experiences, with moments of silent reflection on our shared thoughts. This helped to place ourselves in a good 'state of mind' for the morning ahead of us.

Below are my 4 drawings from this morning's session. All are on A1 220gsm cartridge paper, drawn with my two-handed approach, using HB and 2B pencils and some additional charcoal which has been blended in with the finger.

'emphasising the strong diagonal of the pose, the advancing foot, and the depth between the legs'

' a rare inclusion of the ropes: the arm pit was hidden behind the knot of the ropes and as it was impossible to make-up what could not be seen I decided to include the ropes which in fact helped to explain the pose'

'a further approach to placing emphasis on part of the pose by the inclusion of lost-edges'

'this in fact was the first drawing of the session which attempted to explore a journey up through the pose: I was not very satisfied with the drawing but it did prove to lay the foundation for the above three pieces all of which I am pleased with'