Oh my gosh, I can't believe how tired I am. I don't think I have ever spent as much time drawing continuously, either! I went to the Bay Area Model's Guild drawing marathon at the Palo Alto Art Center. I usually stay in the room with the long pose and do two paintings. Today I decided I wanted to do the fast figure drawing with gesture and modified contour, set up in a second room. I arrived at 9:30 am for the 10 to 1 session so I could get a good spot. It wasn't so crowded today, probably because of Thanksgiving coming up. Anyway, we took a break for 1/2 hour to eat lunch and then it was 1:30 to 4:30. I stand to work and sit when the models rest. I can't imagine how the models felt because they were fantastic and really contorted their bodies for great images. I have created a slide show of some of the gazillion drawings I did today. I took my phone book for the really fast poses. I used the really wide Copic marker in Brown to quickly mass in the gesture, then used the point to go back and do a contour line. These drawings were one and two minute poses. Then on the 3 minute poses I just used the Elegant Writer for strait modified contour. I switched to newsprint for the 4 and 5 minute poses. I used a large brush with walnut ink for the mass and then used a bamboo pen dipped in ink for the contour. I think these are some of my favorite. I switched to another paper pad that had heavier paper than the newsprint but isn't great for wet work. I was disappointed in this paper and wanted to use it up. I brought some acrylic inks to try. Not so great. Will leave them home next time. I also brought a watercolor set that had blocks of dry color. It is Cretacolor Aqua Brique XXL with 8 colors. I originally bought it thinking it would be great for travel but I was disappointed in the quality of the paint. Kind of chalky. I thought I would try it out today. It was perfect for a fast tonal massing and then I used an elegant marker to do the contour line. I like the look of these, too. I was playing around with different combinations and materials and luckily I had plenty of room to spread out. It is always good to find uses for stuff you buy and then don't like! I don't feel so wasteful now. If I can muster up the energy, I think I would like to go on a regular basis to the Tuesday model night at the Art Center to keep in practice. Drawing from life is very different from working from a photograph. Also, the poses are so intricate, one would never see them under ordinary circumstances.
2 comments:
Very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed my figure drawing classes at the university, but felt frustrated that I got really loose instead of what I hoped for-realism! I finally decided to go with what is within me, and, now, I think those were some of my best art classes. It was the only class offered at night, so I took it several times.
Great hearing about all the materials you use. I have a Winsor Newton travel set of watercolors, that I've had for years, with several small brushes. That fits into my purse easily, along with a film container for water or, in a pinch, I use an empty soft drink can. A couple of pieces of tissue and paper, either in a clip board, a tablet, or a sketchbook, and I'm in business anywhere I go. I have a larger palette with WN watercolors for use on larger things, at home, or if I know I am going somewhere to paint.
Great drawings! I even identified 2 of the models! ((I even did a 20-painting series of one of them).
Actually, some of us kinda got tired of drawing the same models over and over again. You get them in each and every class around here. I wish they had some fresh faces once in a while.
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