Oil Painting - Week 6

A tough day in class yesterday. On the right is work from last week, supposed to be a 'warm/cool' temperature painting in burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and white. John said I had far too little color for the temperature to read. So I worked nearly three hours in class and it looked even worse. Very late last night around midnight, I wiped the canvas clean of yesterday's work and started again, painting over last weeks dry paint.

I worked again today and it has more color and possibility so I'll give it another run, maybe Sunday. Cast drawing practice tomorrow and cast drawing class on Saturday. And it's the end of February already.

Master Copy: Andrea Finished

I've done as much work on Andrea as I want. I'm not going to finish his shirt, since the hardest part, his face--especially the shadowed side--is done. And I did NOT use a stomp or finger to smudge or smear or shade. Only thousands of pencil lines over and over and over! Actually a soothing process. But DONE. And I'm reasonably pleased with the outcome. I see corrections that should be made, but I want to move on to another.

Cast Drawing - Week 5

On the left is a modified photo of the cast I'm working on in class. The right is the start of my in-class drawing...Bacchus? It wasn't as frustrating today as usual. Maybe, just maybe, I'm catching on?

Cast Drawing - Week 2-4

This is my at-home-practice cast drawing -- and with more time spent with him, I'm actually starting to like the cast itself. My work in the class is so poor it's not worth posting. Hopefully we'll have more time to spend with one cast in class and I can make some progress. I'm so slow and I don't seem to be able to focus or concentrate in class as well as I can at home.

I missed the last class since we had a trip to Ashland, Oregon already scheduled. Hate to miss classes! They're so valuable and they are helping me, even though they're so very difficult. And they're just flying by!

Oil Painting - Week 5

I'm so behind with posting I'll never catch up with the pics of cast drawing, oil studies, life sketches. Yikes. So here is this week's work from the oil class. The task was to paint with only burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and white. Bill bought me the little pitcher at our favorite antique stopping place on I-5, Kalama, WA. He bought me more gorgeous 'props' too, but they're put away til birthday week...which starts NEXT week!

The good news is I'm behind with posting because I've been spending that time in the studio and not taking time to take pics :-)

Oil Painting - Week 3-4

My first painted sphere nearly finished. It needs at least one more pass but then on to other things. Or maybe on to another sphere for more practice.

Progress: Master Copy

A little more work on Andrea.

Progress: Master Copy

OK, so remember my copy of Michelangelo's only surviving portrait, his drawing of Andrea. I've spent some more time working on it with my new knowledge and skill ? from my classes at Gage.

And just in case you can't tell...On the left is Michelangelo's. On the right is my copy, still not quite finished. Double click on the image for a larger detailed pic.

Michelangelo Buonarroti
1475-1564

"Portrait of Andrea Quaratesi" a drawing - Around AD 1532

His only surviving portrait drawing.

According to Giorgio Vasari, one of Michelangelo's biographers, he was most reluctant to make portrait drawings 'unless the subject was one of perfect beauty'. This is the only surviving portrait drawing by Michelangelo. Drawn in black chalk, it shows the head and shoulders of a young man, Andrea Quaratesi (1512-85) who was one of several noble youths much admired by Michelangelo. Though from a noble Florentine family, it is possible that Michelangelo tried to teach this young Florentine how to draw, as the artist wrote on a drawing now in Oxford: 'Andrea, have patience'. The young man wears contemporary dress, a cap flat on his head, as he looks out to his left. The drawing is lit from the left so that the delicate shadows are formed by small, careful parallel strokes of chalk.

Michelangelo rarely gave his drawings away, other than to close friends or pupils. He presented these carefully finished 'presentation drawings' only to those whom he admired and loved. In his own words, they were carried out 'for love rather than duty'.

Information provided by the British Museum.

Oil Painting - Week 2

At home practice, second week, new painting, same sphere.

Oil Painting - Week 1

My at-home practice of what we'll work on in class this week and next. Looks easy. It isn't!

Cast Drawing - Week 1

The cast I am drawing and the first two starts at block ins.

Randy

Here's where the drawing of Randy is as of today. Lots more to do.

Update

A lot has happened since I met with Juliette. I had a private lesson with Susan Bari Price and decided I wanted to spend even more time with her, so I signed up for her cast drawing class on Saturdays. I'm also am taking John Rizotto's oil painting class on Wednesdays--both classes at the Gage Academy. So my art plate is pretty full. At home I am still drawing Bill, practicing my cast drawing, practicing my oil painting, copying a master painting, and working more on the drawing of Randy that I started in Juliette's class. Feels good tho, and I do think I'm moving forward. I certainly can't complain about not knowing where the path in front of me is--Juliette helped me to outline the path and get moving on it. Hooray. What I have wanted for so long. Now my job is simply to stay on the path and keep moving....

Progress...

At the meeting with Juliette on Friday she said what I thought she might. That I should continue to draw from life, both short and long poses, draw from casts, and do master copies. Bill and I had a wonderful time with her and she was so very complimentary about my work. She gave us a tour of her atelier and gave me so many good ideas and help. She suggested that I ask Susan Bari Price to mentor and guide me along this journey. So, I have my first session with Susan on Monday at her studio in West Seattle!

I've also set up an area downstairs where I can draw Bill, who is so sweet to sit for me, both short poses and long poses. A long pose for us is two or three twenty minute sessions with a few minute break between each session. It's very difficult. Try it and see how hard it is! Short poses are five or ten minutes each.



The little drawing above is my start of a long pose drawing of Bill. I really like the pose and have taken a picture so that he can resume the pose next time.



This drawing is a copy I've done of Juliette's drawing of 'Sutherland.' It's still not quite finished and I failed to start properly, so I'm paying the price in unattractiveness (I printed out the contour of the original drawing on the computer printer and then did the shading and turning form on that piece of typing paper...I know I know, not very professional of me...)

More tomorrow or Monday. Company coming from out of town Monday after my lesson with Susan.

Life Figure Drawing: Day Four, Five

This is a my drawing as it was on Friday, the last day of class, with only some time spent on his leg and one arm. Now, here it is already almost a week after the end of the class! The last two days, like the first three days of class, simply flew by. On day four we again practiced gesture and fast but accurate short pose drawings...five minutes and ten minutes. Then in the afternoon we worked on our long poses. Day Five consisted of two long, three hour poses. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. At noon the other classes came to view our work and we went to see theirs. I heard several people ask with some astonishment in their voices, "You all have just been in this class for ONE week?" I thought we were great as a class! I wish it had been two weeks instead of only one, even though it was totally exhausting!



This is Juliette's drawing of Zoey during the class demonstration, vine charcoal on paper. Bill bought this beautiful drawing for me for my birthday! It is absolutely breathtaking. The picture above is before it was finished, during the demonstration.

This week I have been copying master works, namely one of Juliette's, the stretching man that I had been working on before the class. I have set up an easel and lighting in the tv room so I can draw Bill for short poses and multiple sessions of a long pose, maybe over a week. I think that what Juliette will tell me to do, when we meet on Friday, is to practice life drawing, both short and long poses, cast drawing, and copying masterworks. I'll let you know how that meeting goes.

And my oil painting class on Wednesday afternoons for 16 weeks starts next Wednesday!

Life Figure Drawing: Day Three

Today we spent the morning doing a reduction drawing where we first laid down a layer of charcoal dust on the paper, then drew our subject, wiped away the lights and darkened the darks. It was easier than drawing on white paper since the half tones were already there on the paper in the layer of charcoal. I drew the female model and was very proud of myself and the still-in-progress result.

For the afternoon we worked on our long pose. I was able to make some improvements in my drawing so that the model looks more 'manly' and not so squishy. Juliette commented on how he was improving and that my shadows were well done.

Then another beautiful demonstration by Juliette. A highlight of the day was a tour of her atelier and her own studio. Both brought me to tears. How exciting and what wonderful work was there...even by the first year students.

I've made an appointment with Juliette for next week to discuss my future study. I can hardly wait.

Life Figure Drawing: Day Two

I felt much better going into class this morning. Again we focused early on quick and fast gesture drawings of five minutes, then ten minutes, then a twenty minute pose... I was with the female model. We drew the heads, rib cages and pelvic areas as boxes in perspective, twisting and turning every which way. Then more focus on patterns occurring in our subjects and measuring, both hard for me to see.

In the afternoon we worked on our long pose drawing for the second time. I began to work on the inside of the drawing while modifying the contour. Not at all happy with my drawing...he lacks substance, vigor, character. He looks soft and mushy and fat. And the model is not any of those things. Not at all.

Juliette also did a couple more demos that were simply phenomenal. She is an extraordinary artist and teacher.

Life Figure Drawing: Day One

First day of the figuring drawing class with Juliette Aristides at the Gage Academy. Spent the first hour getting acquainted and familiar with our 'agenda' for the next five days. Then I did 9 five minute gesture drawings from the female model and two or three ten minute gesture drawings. More drawings that I do in a week! Fast, and hard.

In the afternoon we started our drawing of the five day long pose, mine with the male model. The focus was on carefully measuring, proportion, and accuracy in contour. I was totally exhausted by the end of the day. Juliette also did a couple of demonstrations for us. The day flew by. My mind was racing so fast that I slept even more poorly this night than the night before the class.

Winged Bronze: Day Two, Three

Here's the second and third day's work on the new drawing. I'm still not finished with the first bronze, but I wanted to practice the 'starting from scratch' process before MY CLASS starts tomorrow!

It's here. The life drawing class with Juliette Aristides at the Gage Academy. My first ever art class (since 8th grade anyway). It's all day for five days, so I think I'll be exhausted, and excited of course.

I'll try to post every day to show you what's happened. Think good things for me!

Winged Bronze: Day One

Drawing the initial block in and sketch is so uncomfortable for me that I have a very difficult time even putting pencil to paper. I know that only repetition of the process will make it easier. But it's hard to make myself do something so difficult over and over and over. It's not fun at all, but important I know.

This sketch was done in thirty minutes. I keep a timer to start and stop myself and keep myself moving and away from working on details. To my eye, the drawing has no strength or vigor. She looks so airy and flighty, like a little sprite or fairy, instead of the magnificent strong bronze statue that she is. I'll post her actual picture later.

Bronze: Progress Video

Here's a little video that I think is interesting to see how the bronze lady developed. I think I liked her skirt darker, now that I've made it lighter :-) but that can always be fixed. I'll go on and finish her before re-doing that fold of cloth again. Click on play and see what you think!

Or click HERE and select the full screen video for a better look!

Bronze: Day Seven, Eight

Here's my bronze lady as of yesterday. I am not happy with how dark the folds of cloth have become as I continue to work on the values. It seems that the folds of cloth below her knee are so dark that the area dominates the drawing. I think I'll re-do that part...

So here she is as of today after some rework and lightening of that fold below her knee (and some other areas of the cloth as well). I also worked on resolving the folds of the cloth that falls or stretches over her right thigh. It's amazingly difficult to work through a confusing area of light and dark to organize the forms and sort out the shapes and shadows.

Bronze: Day Six

Continued the shading on the bronze lady. Also went to the art store to get supplies for my drawing workshop that starts next Monday. Yikes.

Bronze: Day Five

Decided to start on the shading of my lady today...click on the image for a larger picture.

Laughing All the Way...

Of course its me, doing all the laughing, with Bill and a best friend from the Bay Area, Linda...all riding the Christmas Carousel in downtown Seattle on the coldest day of the year! What fun...can't you tell? Happy Holidays!

Bronze: Day Four

Here she is again. Didn't feel much like drawing today, but did a little work on her legs and the drapery of cloth around her hips and legs.

Bronze: Day Three

Today I was planning on completely starting over on this drawing, but I decided to work on making her proportions more accurate, especially her legs--which looked stunted in yesterday's work.

And now I see that her neck is too long, but her face, turned up and away as it is with her head thrown back in that graceful arch...well it was just so difficult to capture, that I refused today to erase it and do it over. I spent about two hours yesterday trying to get the tilt of her head and face correct...laughing out loud some of the time at the seeming impossibility of drawing it...I think I got it a little right anyway....

So this afternoon I moved ahead and worked on lengthening her legs and redrawing the drape of her skirt. After I finish up with this drawing, I think I'll draw her again. She is a good model...never moves, never gets tired :-)

Bronze: Day Two

OK. Well, she is improving in some ways, but getting more out of proportion in others. I think I'll make her taller even though her feet will be off the paper....how hard this lady is...Here is a pic of her actual self too so you can see why I am having so much trouble...other than simply lack of skill. :-)

Bronze

Good grief. I decided to draw 'from life' using this bronze cast I love. Holy mackerel. It was IM-possible. But a good exercise I suppose. Think I'll try it again from scratch today. I'll let you see the result.

Bill

This drawing came out a little better since I did the values work while he was sitting for me--in about 45 minutes.

Bill

My patient husband who never complains when I ask him to sit for me. A quick sketch, shaded in later without benefit of the model...thus just so so.

Bill

Another quick, twenty minute sketch, of Bill on the phone with his best friend. Couldn't get him to sit still for long on this one!

Bill Sleeping

A quick thirty minute sketch of Bill taking a tiny nap.

Drawing from Live Model at Gage

My drawing of this model looks strange. I was in a panic the first hour of his pose and did essentially nothing, except hyperventilate. The last two hours I made some progress and ended with this drawing. If you put your finger over his head and face, the rest of him doesn't look so bad :-) It was my first attempt at a 'real live person' except for Bill. Wow, was it scary and very difficult.

Block In 16: Entire Figure

Block In 15: Resting Man 4

I couldn't resist shading and turning the form just a little. But back to more block in tomorrow. Keeping my promise of doing ten Resting Man and ten Crouching Man before I go on to block another figure. I also need to draw from life more...Bill? I think so! My only willing and dependable model besides Lilly.

Pretty close on accuracy today. Only spent a half hour. I was just pooped out. Whatever will I do with a six hour class for five straight days in January? I need to do some weights to build up my arm or else I won't be able to draw at the easel for that long.

Block in 11: Cat 3

Lilly's easy to block in since from the back she's just a little black chunk of angles clearly outlined against anything light colored.. Hmmm. I need to remember that when I'm trying to do more complicated things....just look for the simple outline, lines and angles. (And of course, Lilly, when sleeping, moves hardly at all!)

Block In 10: Clothed Figure 2

A ten minute, quick block in of Bill while he was reading and petting Lilly (and stubbornly setting a ten minute time limit due to TV football kickoff!)

Block In 7: Crouching Man 1

As Juliette Aristides recommends in her book on classical atelier drawing, I am doing a line block in from a wonderful drawing of hers. The idea is to use as few lines and angles as possible to capture a likeness and the 'gesture' of the figure. I sure didn't accomplish the likeness and gesture here.

I traced her drawing first, and then laid that tracing over my finished drawing to see how accurate I was. I'd give my self a C- mostly for effort, not so much for result. It is difficult.

I'm going so far backward into the basics, I feel that soon I'll be drawing only straight lines side by side, lined up like little matches. But all this is supposed to make my painting (remember painting????) stronger. I hope as I work my way back from these basic steps I will see stronger work.

And remember, the intense five day workshop with Ms. Aristides is in January. So I am still in a state of panic.

Block In 6: Clothed Figure 1

Our good friend Herman who came for Friday night tacos last night...a twenty minute sketch/block in...

Block In 5: Entire Figure 2

Today's block in still looks 'sketchy' to me...not a work with strong, decisive or confident lines. Of course that could be because I don't feel strong, decisive or confident when doing the drawing :-) But I think it still looks stronger than yesterday's work.

Block In 3: Entire Figure 1

My first attempt ever at drawing a person from life. Well, my second attempt. I did draw a girl named Jamie in the 7th grade. I bet that drawing is still with Mama's things back in Oklahoma.

Darling Bill has agreed to sit for me for 30 minutes every day til the class in January. I have to confess I do think this looks a bit like him.

Block In 1 & 2: Cat 1 & 2

Blocking in: Using the least number of lines, straight lines, to simplify and capture the gesture and likeness of the subject.

If a few lines do not capture a likeness of the object, more lines will not help.

Promise 100: Orchids, Finished

Not much to say about this. It looks fairly nice in this pic, much worse in person. I am not happy with it at all. But it does end my 100 Promises which started as only 30 back in June, remember? Maybe there is some progress in here somewhere. But I am getting older fast and running out of time to ever hope to be really good. And that my dear friends, makes me sad.

I have registered for a life drawing workshop in January with Julliette Aristides at the Gage Academy in Seattle. From now til then I will be working on learning to block in figures and studying human anatomy (both from books and up close and personal, i.e poor Bill :-)....more to follow about that...

Promise 99: Succulent

Here's one of the two things I did while we were in La Jolla, early September. I took about five minutes, on purpose, to draw without thinking and just keep moving. I was sitting in the sun with a nice rum and coke. Seems like a long time ago, here in the gray days of fall in Seattle with Lilly meowing sadly in the other room, wanting my attention....

Promise 98: Single Orchid, 1

My first attempt at a single orchid blossom and all its details.