It's not easy to funnel into the pencil in your hand what your eyes have sent to your brain. It takes more practice than I have given over to it. All the same, last night's drawing class was enjoyable. About a dozen participants including some art teachers from nearby towns and a number of "ladies who lunch". A congenial group. We chatted between poses. The session began with a number of two minute poses to help us get into gear. This was followed by a few ten minutes poses, a couple of twenty minute poses, and a final forty minute pose. The model was a stand-in with no previous experience. Two rather exhausting hours, for him and for me, given the fact that you cannot let your concentration flag. I think I'll do this again.
I learned that the best results may be had when I start with the line or curve of the body that is most appealing to me, and build the rest of the figure off it. Everyone else in the class worked with bigger paper and next time I will too. My images kept running off the page. I wonder why I don't mentally scale down what I see so that it will fit the page. Perhaps I have been made lazy by the camera wherein I immediately zoom-to-fit or move closer or further away from the subject.
I think I am most satisfied with the ten minute sketch in the upper right corner. I started with the curve of the spine, and I was startled to see that the head was placed correctly and that the left hand appeared to be functional.
10 comments:
Mario is looking in fine form.
We had a lumpen elf of a man as our model when I did figure drawing back in college.
what an eye you have. thanks for sharing your work.
You incorporate a unique style which captures your vision without inhibiting it with an overwrought detail or sense of place. I love it.
I like the one on the upper right, too. It reminds me of a line of Merrill that I copied out earlier today:
The dreamless gulf between two shoulder blades. (From "The Instilling")
Curious... I see no Eggplant. :-)
But I like the sketches! I wish I could sketch better.
the model is a friend of mine, he has a couple years experience, hope you at least enjoyed his efforts
Wow. You draw really well -- which I should have discerned from your painting.
And the best art really does come from the moment.
Dear Anonymous,
Oh. I reported just what I was told by other attendees, and I hope I did not imply that he did not do a good job, because he did. I am afraid I did not quite do him justice with my inexperienced efforts.
Father Tony,
No problem, I have worked with the model a few times and he has always done a great job. He also always donates his model fee back to the school,gallery or artist. Did not want him to get a bad rap since he helps out us fellow artists.
I actually quite like the sketch on the upper left, which feels natural and yet a bit like a comic-book sketch.
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