Paper and Threads

This week in our figure drawing class we used toned paper and black and white media- my pencils were Conte.  We had two models and two poses, each about 40 minutes to draw the two models together.  This was one of my goals, so I'm glad we did it, and I think I learned about how to add dark and light tones - with the paper representing the mid-value.  I actually made myself a sketchbook of toned paper last year and had picked out various types of black and white pencils, and tested them all in preparation for my project.  Then I fractured my wrist and that was a project I deferred.

It was Halloween and the older male model had on devil horns and the younger one had his real Mohawk hair gelled into position.  

Posted by Shirley at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love to draw, and I frequently copy the Masters in order to improve my ability to "see."  My FIT Professor sent an email attachment of Raphael's painting of Magdalena for us to draw in on graphite, charcoal or Conte as homework.  I was at the Met Delacroix painting exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art again yesterday and sketched another watercolor from his Morocco series.  Here are both of my drawings.  I will add a little watercolor to the Delacroix drawing, but in the museum can only work in pencil.

Raphael: Portrait of Magdalena Strozzi Doni (oil on panel circa 1506)  Drawn by me with Wolff's Carbon Pencil.

Delacroix:  Portrait of Schmareck, Tanner at Tangier (Watercolor with red and black chalk on paper 1832).  Drawn by me with graphite. 

Posted by Shirley at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Homework:  Our Professor emailed us a copy of the Titian Painting "Danae" and asked us to draw and shade the figure using the painted image as reference.  We had to preserve the proportions of the painting, but could choose to leave out the background.  I'm beginning to be more comfortable using General's Extra Soft Charcoal Pencils. 

This past week we had two male models, clothed.  Class began with a demo of the approach to portrait drawing, and then we had a choice of drawing some or all of each figure.  The model with the hat broke his pose about every two minutes, with slight shifts in position.  It is rare to see such bad models at FIT. 

This is part of a 20 minute pose and class ended before we finished.   

Posted by Shirley at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I DEDICATE THESE DRAWINGS TO THE STRONG WOMEN WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO TRY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL OF US.  I'M OUTRAGED AT THE REPUBLICAN REFUSAL TO HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE REOPEN THE FBI BACKGROUND CHECK!  WE NEED TO VOTE ALL OF THEM OUT IN NOVEMBER.

I'm still enjoying drawing active figures after breakfast - a commitment to fast drawings as many days as possible (<15 minutes to draw and paint).  I love life drawing and adore dancers and ballet.  This project allows me to continue my sketchbook drawing habit on days when I have nothing else planned.  It helps that I have paper, pencil, pen, sharp scissors, and my reference book waiting for me and ready to go.    

Collaged Line of Action Figures 1

Collaged Line of Action Drawings 2

Posted by Shirley at 6:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am taking a Life Drawing class at Fashion Institute of Technology this semester and these are the drawings from my first class.  For several weeks we are drawing outlines, and won't begin shading for another 2 weeks.  Our professor began with a 20 minute pose, then two 10 minute poses.  The length of the poses then decreased throughout the class, ending with ten 2 minute and twenty 1 minute sketches. 

We were encouraged to draw several figures on the same page throughout the class.  

These are (from L to R) 10, 10, and 20 minute drawings with charcoal.

We switched to graphite for the quick poses, and these are two minute drawings completed on the same page. 

And 1 Min poses superimposed very rapidly on one sheet until I ran out of room.

I've never drawn figures with decreasing times for the poses, and actually enjoyed it.  By the end I felt as if I was just "winging it" and was very loose.   An added benefit was that the model was able to hold very difficult poses for the 1 and 2 minute poses, when we were very warmed up and "seeing" better.

Posted by Shirley at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)