Finding yourself through life-drawing

I recently enjoyed Alan Bennett's film 'The lady in the van', and I scrawled on the back of an envelope in the darkness of our local community hall the words spoken by Alex Jennings "you don't put yourself into what you write, you find yourself there". This struck a chord with me as I had for some time now been considering what my life-drawings themselves are able to reveal or tell me about myself. I just found the full quote which I include below.
However, I also think that 'you do put yourself into what you draw', and 'you put yourself into how you draw'. So this quote has initiated a further stage in my own thoughtful self-examination of myself as an artist. 

More on 'the anagram' at Extreme Poses

This morning 5 thirty minute poses. I had decided I would not be drawing the complete pose as it presented itself. I had decided I would consciously pursue my current fascination with 'the anagram is my art' (see recent discussions) I.e. my de-construction of the pose followed by my re-construction within a new spatial organisation on the paper.  The process was very straight forward. I stood viewing the pose.....I selected which parts appealed to me......I thought a bit about the composition/design of the drawing........I started the initial exploratory light markings of one, or two, or perhaps three parts.........then I was away and I entered my subconscious, meditative, natural way of drawing.........then, towards the end some conscious final marks. But its not really the end, there is no complete product, each drawing is a step in my lfe-drawing journey

Space, Time and The Nude

More hands and feet

My life-drawing friends now frequently note that I am "good at feet". Yes I do enjoy drawing feet, and hands. Perhaps because they are bizarre in form, contorted, devoid of any symmetry. Drawing them is not a direct process, it is explorative, searching. 

This drawing, as presented, has been rotated 90 degrees from its original portrait format. It also presents a process in which the pose has been de-constructed. This de-construction reflects my own subjective perception of the pose and the drawing. In other words, these are the parts of the pose I found significant, and I have brought them together in the drawing, I.e. I have re-constructed the pose in a way that emphasises, to me, the importance of these parts. Now, their importance is the part they play as clues in your attempt to re-construct the pose. Are you able to imagine the pose?. Actually, I don't mind if you can't.  I simply enjoy my own life-drawing world.

Why do we start with quickies?

I remain unconvinced of the value of the series of quick gesture poses which seem so popular at the start of most life-drawing classes. They are supposed to 'get you warmed up', to 'get your eye in', to 'get you in the mood'. I am sure they do these things, but I am usually raring to continue my life-drawing journey, to take the next steps along my own path, and for me this does not embrace the short pose. However, I do make the most of the opportunities thrown up, as evidenced by my recent 'three graces' drawings. I usually include all the poses on one paper and develop a narrative as the different poses are presented to us.
Here is my latest. There are four poses here, but in this case no narrative. The poses overlap so I have added some tone to help identify them.

Who'd be a model? Or....Bob to the rescue, but not as an electrician.

Had a rewarding evening at a new (for me) life-drawing venue in Monmouth, with a new model who was herself modelling for the first time. Then at home read up about Egon Schiele and others. Went to bed thinking 'life-drawing'. Got up really early, fed dog and cat, read some more Schiele with smatterings of Rodin, Courbet, and those who had had difficulties with their explicit portrayals of the female anatomy. Drove through the forrest to life-drawing in the Wye Valley. Greeted with the news that the model's alarm had a flat battery so she overslept, then her car had a flat battery and jump leads were needed to start from another vehicle. So, Bob, seeing as you have such an amazing head, we all have decided to ask you to sit for us for a portrait session until the model arrives in about an hour or so (I was seduced by the offer of a 'free' life-drawing session next time, and by recalling the number of requests I had received in recent times to model for portraits and head sculptures). My head is in demand, and here is an opportunity to satisfy this demand, so that I can at last get on with my life.
So, I sat! I focussed on a painting on the wall. Red silk scarf, luxuriant white hair and recently trimmed white beard, denim shirt and Himalayan Yak necklace, and all those wrinkles, bags under the eyes, and numerous other personality characteristics which many have found so attractive as to request a sitting.
Three breaks to relieve my neck pain, then after one hour I suggested we stop for coffee before the 'real' model arrived. My thanks particularly to Bryony, Kathie, Jen and Angela whose pieces I include below.
The model arrived, much to everyone's relief. A lovely pose. Back to normal......for an hour or so.........then the lights went out, the heating went off, and a sort of humming started up. Levers were tried, buttons were pressed, phone calls for help were made. Eventually we all gave up. It was lunch time. I left for home, and to write this blog. What happened in the afternoon life-drawing session I do not know.
Who'd be a model? I was a model! I have always appreciated the significance of the contribution of the model to the life-drawing process. But it is rarely without its challenges and frustrations. I am an egalitarian. The model and I are one!

Anagram and Rotation

Three parts of the pose were brought together on the paper in a portrait format.
The paper was then rotated through 90 degrees. Nothing more was added.

The model lay on her back with her legs raised on a dais.