Sunday, December 15, 2013

BIG, BIG, BIG News!

Dead Toreador by Edouard Manet
I'm still very much hung up on the foreshortened pose. I might make it sound like I'm making a rational choice here, but it's really through circumstance and not my own choosing that places me at the head or foot of the model each week. That being said, I find I've gone from petrified to excited about foreshortening. Even though I still have some kinks to work through, I'm wondering what I was so afraid of?

I have some very big news. We have a new home, in town, and so perfect for us. Starting on January 6th, we'll be drawing at Dragonfly Yoga Studio, 810 Caroline Street. There is a change  - Figure Drawing will be starting at 7:30 and end at 10:00.

Susan Ishii
Anita Holle
Susan Ohle
Katya Kirsten
Stacey M. Schultze

Saturday, November 30, 2013

(fore)Short(ened) and Sweet

This was the first time I really enjoyed getting "stuck" with a difficult pose. Like a lot of artists, foreshortening has always filled me with dread, probably because I'm convinced I will fail - so I often do. This time, although I still see problems with my drawing, I was able to relax, let go and feel a little more successful. The foreshortened pose certainly has a lot more drama and vitality. I guess I've let the mathematical precision of linear perspective intimidate me. I realize it comes down to one simple rule: The eye must be the sole judge. Things closer to your eye look bigger than the things farther away.


Dec. 2nd - Sarah
Dec. 9th - K.C.
Dec. 16th - Janet

Susan Ishii
Matt Austin
Anita Holle
Ed King
Ed King
Bruce Day
Matt Austin 
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Susan Ohle
Susan Ohle




Sunday, November 24, 2013

Good Energy

Monday's session was fun, fun, fun, largely due to the unsung hero of the night - our model, Janet. She's been modeling for us since I started the Life Drawing Session, 3 and a half years ago and we've all developed a special relationship with her which, I think, contributes a great deal to the success of our work.  I once hired a model who was so obviously uncomfortable posing nude that everyone in the room seemed uncomfortable - good or bad energy is infectious and my drawings that night certainly suffered. The relationship between artist and model should be a collaboration. A model's energy can make the difference between a good drawing and a great drawing. Thanks to Janet!

K.C. will be posing on Monday, Nov 25th.

Anita Holle
Anita Holle
Bruce Day
Ed King 
Matt Austin
Ria Firth
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Susan Ishii

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Taking a Lesson from Freud - Lucien, that is

As much as I enjoy organizing life drawing, it isn't always without some frustration. The one that vexes me the most has to be the artist who only wants to draw [their idea of] the perfect body. I have to admit that I have a hard time understanding that. I guess it's because I don't expect to come away with a great work of art, or, more to the point, that I'll create a more perfect drawing with a more perfect model. I just want an improvement over the last drawing or to push myself. I'll take an interesting model over "perfect" any day, if "perfect" indeed even exists. Lucien Freud, whose models were many times less than ideal characters, were almost all chosen to paint to tell a story about himself and his values.

The drawings posted were from the Nov 11th session. It was a big group and my thanks to Sarah for staying calm through it all. Janet is feeling better and will be posing for us on the 18th.

Matt Austin
Anita Holle
Ed King 
Katya Kirsten
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Susan Ishii

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Where to Begin

We had a large group (for downsizing) with artists circling the room and several on the floor. As the model got ready to remove her robe she said, more to herself than anyone, "taking the robe off  is the hardest part - the rest is easy".

I respect just how hard that first moment can be, everyone's nightmare is suddenly being naked in a room full of people. That moment can even be a little uncomfortable for the artist as well - the moment from when the model removes their robe to when he or she fall into the first pose is the moment where the person becomes the pose or more literally "the work of art" and everything else falls away. Giacometti said it best, "At first one sees the person who is modeling; but little by little, all of the possible sculptures that could be made come between artist and model."

The drawings posted are from the November 4th session. Many thanks to Emily for her wonderful poses.

Bruce Day
Ed King
Ria Firth
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Sally Rhone-Kubarek
Tyler
Susan Ishii






Monday, November 4, 2013

November

Our models for the month of November (so far):

 Emily on Monday, Nov. 4th

Sarah on Monday, Nov.11th

K.C. on Monday, Nov. 25th

Let me know who'll be here.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Group Dynamic

I find it fascinating how much working within a group can inspire, motivate, challenge and push the creative endeavors of the individual artist. An artist's work can be isolating and I think most artists need more time alone than other people, I know I do. I need to be alone to get things done but I also find that with all of that "alone time" I might obsess about or over analyze a problem. It's so important to connect with a group. They can offer new insights into problem solving, talk through a creative block or just to work with others who share a similar goal - to keep learning and improving. 

Thanks to everyone who attended the drawing session this week and our thanks to K.C. for absolutely perfect poses.

Susan Ishii
Susan Ishii
Susan Ohle
Ed King
Ed King
Inga
Ria
Ria 
Tyler





Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Still Planning

Our thanks to Janet, she is always the perfect "artist's model".  

Ed King 
Sally Rhone-Kubarek 
Susan Ohle 
Susan Ishii

I'm including some tips on Drawing the Figure from Life. I'm  familiar with all of them but have to continually repeat them to myself while working. You can see by my drawing that I didn't adhere to many of them. Good to know, none the less.

1. Look at the figure. 
How is the figure supporting its own weight?
Hold your pencil up and visualize three lines; shoulders, hips and knees.

2. Plan your composition
Using your hand and without marking the paper, motion the general shapes, then very quickly sketch the general composition.

3. Quickly sketch the entire figure
Get the whole thing sketched out in a few seconds, then do your drawing  on top of it.

4. Draw fast and keep your arm moving
Remember, a slow steady and confident hand is faster than indecisive chicken scratch. (I know this one well. I drove a professor in college nearly nuts with my timid short little lines).

5. Practice good line economy
Practice by not lifting your pencil from the paper.
Try to be fluid and efficient.
Draw shadow shapes inside the figure - not just an outline.
Don't draw everything. Be selective in what you draw and what you leave out.

6. Don't erase (much)
This is probably the one guideline I have the hardest time with.

7. Add shadows and highlights
Your figures will develop weight and drama.

8. Draw the whole pose
Don't avoid head, feet and hands.

9. Ground your figure
Sometimes just a simple line is enough to keep your model from floating in space.

10. Date your drawings
Enables you to track your progress.