Life drawing

We have two weeks of life drawing in the art course this term.  Absolutely exhausting for some reason, and yet again, I make the model’s legs completely put of proportion with her body.  Five minute, 3 minute and 2 minute poses in the drawings below.

A whole day in the drawing studio

I started drawing lessons in early 2014. Little did I imagine that three years later, I would be looking forward to a full day of life-drawing in the studio at the Mary Ward Centre. Twelve easels, twelve women, one teacher, one model, much concentration and some laughter, and these are the result.

Seven minute poses of the lovely Abbie, 

Three minute poses

Five minutes of continuous poses without looking at the paper 

Twenty minute pose, with a painting by Frank Stella projected on the model’s body

Twenty minute pose, with Matisse' Snail projected on to the model’s body

 At the end of the day, there was not enough wall space on which to tape our drawings, so the rather dilapidated skeleton that live in the studio was pressed in to service!

Life drawing

Two sessions of life drawing as part of the course at Mary Ward have been scary, exhilarating, confusing, frustrating and rewarding in equal measure. We drew two different models, both beautiful young women, in a series of 3 minute and 5 minute poses, clothed and naked, with and without props. All A1 size with charcoal.

The clothed figure was the most difficult to capture

This one could be rendered in stitch at some point.

Lots of work needed to capture faces, hands and feet, but at least they don’t look like aliens.

Bodies and trees

Another morning of life drawing, 5 minute, 3 minute and 15 minute poses with both wet and dry media.

Holding a brush and sitting on a stool, although the holding a brush looks more like spear-fishing and I’ve made the beautiful model look rather squat and rather heavier than she was.

The brown ones are done by another member of the class. The two on the right hand side and the pink one, with the brush, are mine.

Combining or overlaying the 3 minute poses on one sheet of paper.

Wet ink and charcoal, seated.

Struggling to cope with the strong pink wash to get enough contrast between light and dark

Happiest with this one.

After a rest and lunch, off to Highgate to see the works by Richard  Downer, the father of our tutor.  Richard’s drawn work will be known to all of us in the UK who used phone directories between 1967 - 1985, as his drawings were on the front cover of every local directory.  This exhibition focuses on his private paintings of trees, their life, demise and regeneration. Very striking and with echoes of Paul Nash in the series about the aftermath of the Great Storm of 1987. On until 23rd June and well worth a visit.  Great views walking down Highgate Hill are a bonus.