Reality Doesn't Bite

I know I've gone on and on so many times about the benefits of drawing from life rather than photographs - and I'm obviously not done yet.

Life drawing offers exactly what it proclaims. It forces you to think in three dimensions and challenges you in a way that copying from a photograph can't. Bony landmarks and muscle detail are missing in many photographs but most importantly, so is an "attitude" - a slouch, a lean, where the weight is placed and the ability to walk around the model and observe, observe, observe. In working from a photograph, distortion from a camera lens, a predetermined composition and heavy retouching are always part of the real picture. 

Come draw from Life, every Monday night from 7:30-10:00 pm at Dragonfly Yoga Studio.
Sarah will be posing for us on Monday, Feb. 24th.

Anita Holle

Anita Holle

Bruce Day

Ed King 

Ed King

Ed King

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Susan Ishii

Susan Ishii

Susan Ishii

artists maintain the copyright to all images posted

Pose Perfection

Having hired a lot of models (once a week for almost 4 years now) I often think about and so respect the job of the artist's model. I am very, very lucky to have some great models, not just good - great.

What makes one model better than another? A good model has the  ability to hold a pose and be motionless for 20-30 minutes, despite being cold or hot or cramped. A great model has a confidence and indifference that makes them able to drop their robe in a room full of clothed artists.

I make an honest effort never to rush a model into a pose. I try to give him or her time. They let me know when to start the clock. The best pose is fluid, relaxed, natural and has an implicit ease. One art instructor I read about, before starting to paint, would give a 30 minute lecture on portrait painting. By the end of his lecture, the model had gotten comfortable and he would then start painting, not altering the model's position at all - she was sitting naturally in a way that was characteristic to her.

Our thanks to Janet - one of the GREATS!

join us on Monday, Feb. 17th at Dragonfly Yoga Studio, 810 Caroline Street. Arrive around 7:30, session will start at 7:45.

Ed King

Ed King

Ed King

Chris Irby 

Sally Rhone-Kubarek 

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Stacey Shultze

Stacey Shultze

Stacey Shultze

Susan Ishii

Susan Ishii

Susan Ohle

Susan Ohle

artists maintain the copyright to all images posted

A Good Read

I just got my copy of Drawing magazine's "Portrait Issue". There were two articles that really interested me. 

The first was "Constructing and Modeling a Foreshortened Figure", a pose I'm determined to conquer and the second was "Setting Up for Silverpoint". It's a medium I've been wanting to try ever since I saw Bruce Day's beautiful silverpoint drawings at his studio show a few years ago. My surface preparation, so important in silverpoint, was overworked and over-prepped, so I was happy to see the article. It talked about one of the first (15th century) "how to" books for artists that directed that chicken bones be collected (fetched from under the table), be burned and then the white ash mixed with saliva or better yet - urine. Well, I felt much better about my prep of Golden's Silverpoint/Drawing Ground. So I've got my surface prepared (not as worried over this time) and am ready to get started - again.

Our thanks to K.C. for her graceful poses.

Janet will be posing for us on Feb. 10th.

Dragonfly Yoga is extending their class to run until 7:30, so we'll start the session around 7:45. I'm sorry for the inconvenience - we'll just have to see how it goes.

Take Note

Another great session and our thanks to Emily for wonderful poses. I hope to get some pictures moving … I promise to work on it ... this week!?

Thank you to all those who continue to support life drawing in Fredericksburg.

Just a quick reminder - K.C. will be posing for us on Monday, Jan. 27th and there will be NO drawing on Feb. 3rd.

Susan Ishii

Susan Ohle

Katya Kirsten

Anita Holle

Bruce Day

Becky Yates

Sam Szymanski

Ed King

Perfection

A good session with a great model last week. The new space is already starting to feel like home. I think it has everything we've been longing for - open, clean, good light, in town - it's just so perfect. 

Emily will be posing for us on Monday, Jan. 20th.
K.C. will be posing on Monday, Jan. 27th.
No drawing on Monday, Feb. 3rd.

The following drawings, from Monday's session, are by Sally Rhone-Kubarek.

Settling In

We had a big crowd for our first session at Dragonfly Yoga. I can see that there will be a few adjustments that will have to be made. I suggest everyone show up close to 7:30, or even a teeny bit later - as we have to wait until the last yoga session has ended.

It's amazing how much a change in venue can affect drawing. I know I will definitely need some time to settle into my "zone". I think I'll make a few changes for the model as well - no more middle of the room - someone always ends up with an impossible pose - or no pose at all.

Thank you to all who came to draw and to Sarah for her great poses. Hope to see you at drawing on Jan. 13th!

Ed King

Carolyn Cameron

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Sally Rhone-Kubarek

Sally Rhone-Kubarek 

Sam Szymanski

just a reminder

We'll be drawing Sarah on Monday, January 6th at Dragonfly Yoga Studio (behind Jabberwocky) at 810 Caroline Street. The session will be starting at 7:30 pm and we'll draw until 10:00. Hope to see you there to try out this great new space!