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 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'

Drawing Ocean on 30/11/2010

A very enjoyable day at Angela Palmer's life-drawing class in the Wye Valley.
Started with two 10 minute charcoal pencil drawings on A2 cartridge. Searching for the form with light application of the pencil then 'firming-in' once the pose and its lines were found. Then four A1 drawings of the main pose for the day from slightly different positions with the principal issues of 'perspective' and 'line and tone' to the fore.

In this first one I was standing at my easel so could see the right breast and shoulder.

In the second drawing I lowered my easel and sat so that I could really emphasise the right hip and thigh and emphasise the advancing feet.

Being pleased with the two above drawings I stood after lunch and set about a bolder approach using HB and then mainly a 3B pencil to explore hatching technique. I feel unsatisfied with the outcome, particularly the consistency of weight of line throughout the drawing. In other words, I feel that a lighter touch would be more appropriate to the upper part of the body to help the perspective.

Sitting down again I feel this last drawing answered many of my frustrations experienced with the earlier pieces. Good points: POSE - advancing feet, celebration of hip and thigh, tilt of head. DRAWING TECHNIQUE - clear differentiation of marks, e.g. HB pencil, 3B pencil, tonal values of clean white paper and lightly applied graphite powder. Weak point: the right hand. I'm sure it is in the wrong position (see earlier drawings) and it is drawn too heavily.