Today: Patterned leaf: Colourful bush: An vertical leaf in Church Avenue, it had fallen tip first and was improbably wedged standing upright.
A slight easing of the post bank holiday parcel deluge, still busy. Glorious sunny, my eyes are caught by leaf formations today.
Colin was this mornings life model. We started the session with four 5 min poses. I decided to work with big loose brush strokes (ink) to capture the main thrust of the pose and then on top in line (again ink) to add outlines/edges. A set of dynamic poses on top of a barrel. Particularly enjoyed these, as the freedom of the ink and brush is pleasurable. Worked on sugar paper – which is not quite up to the pressure, hence the wrinkle of the paper.
Four really quick one min poses – all with the body hanging/pulling. Worked in graphite and layered the drawings – choosing a different scale for the fourth pose, in order to fit on page. This created an unexpected composition, which I am happy with.
Still with the sugar paper (of a random colour) a longer 15min pose. A difficult time with drawing in behind the bow and getting the positions of the hands correct in this pose – left hand still a little too small. A struggle too with the setting of the right arm.
Final pose (approx 50mins) was a seated pose, hands interlocked and a slight twist. I worked again with broad ink brush strokes, then brown line. Onto some light blue pastel paper, which survived the ink washing. Built the image up, layering on more ink. With the longer pose I was able to work back onto ink with some white charcoal to pick up areas of highlight. Spent most of the time fighting the legs, a battle which I think I finally won but created a mis-match between the more spontaneous work on the head and shoulders and heavily worked legs (consequently I didn’t photograph them !!) Happy with the likeness to Colin I caught and the energy contained in the drawing.
This Friday session saw another new model. I am not sure I have ever drawn someone so muscular – so it was quite a challenge. I was on a reduced art kit (due to a heading straight off to lunch afterwards) so worked in charcoal and graphite on paper bought at the session.
First pose was for 10 mins – a full frontal standing pose. Working in charcoal I decided to really concentrate my looking at the upper body and arm relationship – which I think I captured well. We then had a three min dancing pose. It took me about a min to relax into this – the result looks nothing like a figure but I can see/feel the models dancing arms. I choose to draw long the outline of the body changing the line as the body changed. Would have quite liked more poses like this. We then had a seated 20 min pose – of the back of the model. Struggled to find definition in the back – but pleased with the head/neck relationship.
Final pose was a 40mins seated pose. I switched to graphite bar and pencil. Tried to be free in my drawing and mark making. In places this was very successful but I think there is something unresolved about the relationship between the body and the legs. Happy with this piece as two separate photos (above) rather than as a whole. Pleased with the hands in this drawing.
This week’s model was Sonia. I have never drawn Sonia before so this was a treat. She is a curvy model who managed to hold some fantastically dynamic poses.
We started the session with four 5 min poses. I worked on sugar paper with graphite trying to use very loose dynamic marks to quickly capture the models shape. First two poses I layered together. We then moved onto a set of five 1 minute poses. Here I worked in chunky charcoal again onto sugar paper.
Next up was a 10 min seated pose, where I brought it right in and working in charcoal pencil attempted a tighter drawing. Not so successful – the relationship between the torso and legs feels uncomfortable and I have missed some of the twist of the pose. Last min attempt to rectify the line of the leg can be seen !!
Finally pose, 40 mins, was a lying pose. I continued on the white paper with charcoal stick and pencil. Fairly happy with the shape of this although not so comfortable to look at. Reminded me of some drawings I made of Hilary a few years ago at the Wensum lodge class.
Ginny Bain 