Paper and Threads

GOOD NEWS:  After my Xray yesterday, my hand surgeon determined that I would not need an operation on Monday!  I fractured my wrist on my left (dominant) wrist on March 23rd.  It occurred on my way to figure drawing, and I thought it was a bad sprain, so I sketched with my dominant hand, while holding ice on my wrist with my non-dominant hand.  Since my splint, then cast, I've been sketching with my non-dominant hand and having fun.  I sketch every morning after breakfast, both on scrap paper and in my dedicated sketchbook for this project - altered by my friend Maureen.  Here are one of my figure drawings - from right after the fracture, and then several other non-dominant hand sketches from this week.  The drawing of the plant was even done standing, with my sketchbook resting on my cast.  Progress is being made.   

Subway Entrance/Exit April 10th: 

Brooklyn Botanic Garden April 10 - Sketched standing: 

A small art quilt I made, which hangs over my sewing machine - April 11: 

Posted by Shirley at 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was going to figure drawing when I broke my wrist.  But since I thought it was a sprain, I stopped in a Deli and got a cup of ice.  While holding the ice over my injured wrist, I was still able to draw with my dominant hand.  These are two 5 minute drawings of a very old, very small, and very thin model.  I decided to post one set of these drawings each week, in between my non-dominant hand scribbles.  The blurring has more to do with my photography then the drawing....

Posted by Shirley at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Several years ago I discovered that I really like contemporary Southeast Asian Art and during Asia Week there are auction previews at the NYC auction houses for this specific type of art.  The auctions are taking place this week, and my friends and I went to the Preview at Sotheby's last Friday.  I love the paintings by B. Prabha (1933-2001) and painted one of her paintings and a detail of another.  Please ignore my difficulties remembering how to spell her name.

There were 3 drawings of dancers by Shiavax Chavda (1914-1990), and I sketched one to try to learn how he achieved such great movement in his drawing.

I draw and paint from the Masters for two reasons: 

1.  I want to have a sketchbook page that represents that day in my visual sketchbook, and at least one artwork I loved.

2.  I learn so much by reproducing lines and their watercolor palette.   

Posted by Shirley at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last Friday I went to a Swann Gallery's "Drawings and Prints" Auction Preview with my friends Pat and Eunice.  There was a wonderful selection of art, more prints than drawings, but everything was inspiring.  After looking at everything I chose 2 drawings to add to my sketchbook.  This was a drawing by Toulouse-Lautrec ("Caudieux - 1893") and I chose to paint it. instead of using charcoal. 

 Almuerza 1937 - a brush and India ink drawing by Diego Rivera. 

After viewing all of the Art, which will be auctioned beginning today, we had a late lunch at Panera.  After lunch I sketched and painted several other customers.

Posted by Shirley at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Suhita Shirodkar, who is one of the regular teachers at the USK Symposium, has a Craftsy Class about figure drawing using "Lines of Action" to quickly express movement.  I periodically practice this technique, using photos from magazine ads and scrap paper.  in her class she uses photo references to teach her technique, and then uses video clips to demonstrate drawing from moving figures.  Here are 6 figures drawn from photos, and 2 figures drawn while I watched ballet dancers warm up.  As soon as Spring arrives I need to go sit and watch figures doing something other than just walking!  There are baseball fields, and  basketball and tennis courts in Central Park - maybe that would be a good starting place.

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