Lifedrawing 3

Two minute poses

 I went to a different life drawing class this week, where there were easels and some advice from professional artists running it.

Having an easel took a little getting used to, and I didn't at first get the angle right so that I could draw and see at the same them.

These first poses seemed very short indeed. I felt rushed and sometimes that helped me to be freer, and sometimes not.

After a while, there was a brief demonstration of gestural drawing.

Gestural Drawing
Since this class I have had a look at what various websites and books say about gestural drawing, and I think that the artist who did this demonstration did a particularly clear job of saying and showing what it is. What I understand is that it is about using your own body's knowledge of gesture to sketch in the position of the model, 'as if I were in that position.' ie what it feels like to be in that position, which we all know instinctively so don't need to think about with our heads.

This is a quick thing, requires a looser hold on the pencil, and more flowing lines.

After that, the details can be filled in if there is any time.

The rest of my sketches were done after this talk, and I think show that it really helped me to capture the proportions and positions of the model.

Two minute poses




















Getting tired before tea break, I lost my concentration and the gestural drawing stopped...

Five minute poses

I found these arms particularly difficult to imagine myself into, and it shows!

I need to work on drawing faces. Looking at these now, I have been avoiding drawing the face and hands.

10 and 15 minute poses

The drawings are finally starting to look like the model, Carla.

I was particularly pleased with the shape of the shoulders in the last one, the way the lines are faded in the background, and the way her face turned out. Of all the sketches I did this one has the best face by a long way. I have no doubt this is because it was upside down and therefore I actually had to look at it.

This life drawing is really helping me to see. I am really looking forward to next week's session.