All-time favourites of mine: 4

I think I will always include this drawing in any selection of those I'm really pleased with because it was just about the first time I picked up a pencil in both hands and they contributed equally to the mark-making. I am still astonished that it is a thirty minute drawing.

An all-time favourite of mine: 3

I travelled through a fascinating period of my life-drawing journey during which I placed a longer drawing within the boundary of a quicker gesture drawing. Each drawing would be completed within the one session. I have retained many examples of this approach which appear quite complex and retain ones attention as one works out exactly what is happening.

An all-time favourite of mine: 1

Long before I started drawing with both hands at the same time, this is charcoal on gesso treated A1 cartridge paper. I did not include the supporting ropes so the model appears to float. I recall moving the charcoal marks across the textured surface with my fingers

An all-time favourite of mine: 2

The majority of my life-drawings are produced in a short time. Here is a rare event. This was produced over two to three days. I recall it grew gradually. It is much bigger than A1, and I think we must have had around twelve half-hour poses at least.

Five 30 minute poses, with Paul up in the ropes.

Just got home, photograhed my drawings, so here are my five two-handed pencil drawings from this morning's session at Extreme Poses at Pegasus Art in Stroud (May 7th, 2015).
A rather mixed bag, simply responses to each pose. No plan. No pre-thought strategy for the morning. No aims in sight. No goals to achieve. Just standing (or sometimes sitting to gain an upwards view of the pose) and then, drawing. A pencil in each hand, with perhaps a conscious effort to get each to equitably contribute to the mark-making.
The outcome? Why evaluate? Of course, I will, and I do evaluate. I am self-critical. I will assess my drawings in the context of the role they each play in the evolution of my life-drawing journey. But not too much. And not to the detrement of achieving the main purpose of my engagement and fascination with life-drawing: I.e. that it is a therapeutic and meditative activity, which I pursue fully within myself. Answerable to no-one.

Long 'Liv' the model.

Liv is an amazing model. She is a Danish lady who is tall and slim and has the most extended torso you can imagine. Last week (the same pose) I sat down so I could look up the length of her body as she sat on the blanketed pedestal, and bring forward towards me, with some accompanying exaggeration, her lower legs (I described the issue I was dealing with in last week's posting). Here I return to one of those drawings to experiment with adding some value/tonal treatment using a block of tinted charcoal and moving it with my fingers.
A difficulty last week was my failure to keep her head on the paper. In both drawings it shot off the top. This was really annoying as the special qualities she has demand recognition: she holds her head proudly aloft beyond a strong and extended kneck, with pronoinced cheekbones and deeply set eyes. Her hair drawn back and clasped in a bun crowns an amazing overall composition (perhaps I should attempt portraiture).
She was taller, longer and leaner, and my 'design/composition' skills were severely challenged.
So, here in the second drawing we have a further attempt to engage with her length, but also to capture the sense of gravity as she sits upon and is supported by the plinth.
Additionly, there are three very quick poses: using fine charcoal (I held a slender stick of charcoal in each hand but I think my drawing was executed with just my dominant right).

Two quick 2-handed drawings on exhibition

Angela Palmer holds an annual exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculptures, by those who attend her Tuesday class in Brockweir in the Wye Valley. This takes place at Taurus Crafts just outside Lydney on the edge of the Severn Estuary. This year we had a smaller room so smaller pieces were requested. I cropped two A1 drawings and I believe they both benefitted from the treatment.
Both are fairly quick drawings with the stretching figure being engaged with for about four minutes. As is the norm now I am drawing with both hands simultaneously.