Live Female Nude (WIP)

At one point I almost through this one out the window! I drew it at larger scale, and wasn’t sure if my proportions were right, because I couldn’t see what I was doing. I had sanded the paper for oil pastel, but since I thought it was a lost cause, I just took a regular dark pastel and shaded it. The surface was too smooth for regular pastel, and it made for stark shading. Worse after seeing it shaded I could see that the drawing was solid. Tomorrow I will attempt to ressurect it with oil pastel. Will oil pastel cover it?

Last Night’s Life Drawing

I tried oil pastels on this pose, called Neopastels. The paper was a bit rougher than I liked, Canson, but the color paper was the best I had available to me at the time. I like the fine color adjustment the oil pastels allow. I like the buttery feel of the media. There are many supports possibilities I could try marking on, and many ways of fixing the surface, I can test.

Life Drawing Nude (WIP)

This is how much I got finished after the model had posed for an hour. I rough in the darks with an umber, and where the strongest light is I use an ivory. I will finish the rest at home without the model. I’ll post the final soon. 15×18″ Hard Pastel on Warm Gray Paper.

Sitting Pose at Life Drawing Group

I liked this pose better, even if resemble the last. I tried the Canson paper. I like the color, but the lines blend into the paper. A matter of taste. Definetly have to check which side of the paper is on top. The back side too rough and not to my liking. Unfortunately I have ten of these sheets to use up.

Another Evening at Life Drawing

I like drawing the male models, they usually have more muscular definition. This peticular model has a very David-like youthful body, that affords us the opportunity to study the idealized form. I worked the pastel in great detail of color this time. I am liking conte crayons very much. I wish the umbers darkest was a bit darker though. I like this pose, but it reminds me a bit of a frog. 18×24″ Pastel on brown paper.

A Little Experiment

The Timid Boy 11x14"

I have enjoyed working with pastel lately, but I prefer displaying work exposed without glass, and panels instead of paper. I searched for another solution. I decided to try oil sticks, on a masonite panel. They are oil paint in stick form, with a lipstick like feel, and wet paint unlike oil pastels, and have the permanence of oils. I liked the immediacy and energy of the oil sticks, the line lends itself better to a larger scale, but I am happy with the results, and plan to do more!

Pose with a Manikin

At first this pose seemed awkward, but eventually the drawing solidified. I like the theme that arose from it. a girl dreaming of a man she can’t find. Our group meets at the art museum, that’s how we were able to use the manikin prop. 24×18″ Conte Crayon on brown paper.

Life Drawing

On Tuesday nights I meet with a group of artists to draw from a live model. Often the highlight of my weekdays. I tried conte crayons for the first time, it’s a hard pastel. I’ve done very little pastel, I am a painter, but I wish I would have thought of trying it sooner for this purpose. I like the immediacy of this medium. 24×18″ on brown paper, finished piece.