It's fortunate the life class is as long as it is because for most of it this drawing looked like a disaster! I drew her head first and I'm happy with how her face turned out and the fact that it looks like a face when it's little more than a line with tiny variations. However, it is a bit too small for her body even though she is a very tall model! It seemed to take ages to get the shading on her body to look like muscles and bones rather than grubby smudges of graphite.
I'm improving in another area though - drawing in public. I have my sketchbook on me all the time and have used it a few times on the tram. I've got a favourite seat where I am less likely to be noticed and I'm getting quite good at hiding the sketchbook! I have realised though that nerves make me draw very fast and very sketchy and I have got to work on relaxing and improving the lines. The one big problem with drawing on the trams though is that I keep picking people who suddenly get up and leave! I picked a man this morning who looked engrossed in a Sudoku puzzle and had a very big belly (great for drawing). I started on his lapel but he can't have been that engrossed because a few seconds later, the tram stopped, he barely looked up and was out of the doors in a shot! I can see the marks in this sketchbook are going to be difficult to decipher if that keeps happening!
HB and B pencil.
9 comments:
I don't think her head looks too small - and I think you are doing fabulously well with your life drawings!! The shadings DO look like muscle and bone contours.
She looks perfect, Felicity!! You are doing so great with your classes. And congrats on your success with sketching in public.
Hey, congratulations on feeling GOOD about sketching in public! Too bad you didn't get to finish the guy on the tram with the big belly -- I would have loved to have seen it! :-) This one is great -- your shading is, as always, particularly wonderful!
She does have long legs, doesn't she! Not only is the back lovely, but I really like her feet.
Do you generally start with the head? I have never had your facility with realism, and found that starting with the head often resulted in getting the proportions wrong. I enjoyed trying to start with the torso. Often I would end up with cropped bodies because I'd run out of paper, but rather liked that.
Thanks all!
Linda, I'm beginning to recognise some faces on the tram so who knows? I may spot him again!
Olga, that's an interesting observation. I do normally start around the shoulder area or a negative space between the arm and the torso. I had someone sitting over my shoulder too which I found quite uncomfortable and it took me a little while to relax. I know what you mean about running out of paper. I was pleased with my last drawing (without the feet) and I'm still trying to find ways to leave things out and focus on one part. The last drawing could have looked better without her arms and face too but I couldn't see how to crop it!
She's wonderful Felicity. I found your comment to Olga about starting with the negative space between the arm and the torso very interesting. I think I would probably start at the head too. I'm keen to have a go at life drawing - it looks so very difficult though. I found that Coventry Uni do open studio days where anyone can go and spend the day life drawing for £3. An amazing bargain if I could only get there.
Gosh Annabel - I could almost fly EasyJet and get there cheaper than the class here! It's always the way that great things happen in places we can't easily get to! :(
Whow Felicity, this is a real good one! (I always start with the shoulders, don't know why...)
For the process of this drawing to have been as rough as you described, the end product is quite stunning. Like the others I really don't see that the head is disproportionate to the body. This may be something you picked up on because you were there and saw her in life, whereas us, as an audience, see it as how she really looks.
On another note, I was sad to read that you felt as though your work had been rejected. To me, this is one of the worst feelings ever. It's funny how no matter how many positive comments you receive as an artist....100, 200...one bad comment, or even look, can leave an even greater impression.
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