Two from Life Drawing Class

I feel I am finally starting to get it and it's only taken 42 class hours! Not that I am really a slow learner. It's just that I can try so hard that it creates a mental block sometimes. The good thing is, once I break through, I usually start making great strides so, I am encouraged.

Here are two, the last two , from last week's class.

Drawing Study

I am getting used to the feel of charcoal and conte but remain convinced that I will never like the feel of a pencil. That may sound odd but, but a brush has a smooth and flowing feel to it and a pencil is hard and static...polar opposites to me. Charcoal and conte seem to bridge the gap a bit. It is all a great learning experience and one day I may even come to like pencils!
5" x 5 1/4", conte on newsprint

Drawing Class Sketch #6

How I wish we had been given more than twenty minutes to sketch this one! I also regret not taking better notes of the different artists we are studying so I could look them up at home. Well, live and learn!

This one was so much fun. I absolutely love portraits of children who look as if they have been taken straight from a Dickens novel.

All of these sketches have been on newsprint, which is not at all archival, and won't last very long. But, the point is to learn and I am having a ball!

8" x 10", charcoal sketch

Entering A Deeper Phase

I have found myself entering into a phase of painting less but studying more. I am increasingly interested in studying the figure and in honing my drawing skills. These studies will intensify with the start of the new year. My concentration will be fully devoted to these studies so I don't anticipate being able to do a lot of painting. I have been wanting to do this for a very long time, the opportunity presently itself and the timing is finally right.

I do plan to continue to share my journey with you and, as a result, the posts may be coming a little more often once the classes start. If you are interested in keeping tabs but, not in the day to day of things of my blog, I invite you to sign up for my newsletter via my website, http://gayesekula.com.  My website newsletter goes out far less frequently so have no fear of being bombarded. 

Happy Holidays to All!

Gaye  

Drawing Class Sketch #4

This sketch is from our third session in Charcoal Drawing Class. Again, we were allowed only 20 minutes.  A benefit of being timed is that it helps train the eye to see what is essential in conveying the essence of a subject. With practice, good instruction and really learning to see, we will be able to render a subject more and more accurately. So, speed is really not the objective but rather one of the means to a desired end. For example, an area that speed would be very beneficial is in plein air painting. Since the sun does not stand still, it is essential to work quickly to capture a fleeting moment in time. All exercises in art help in every medium. None of it is wasted time because it all works together.

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I have never liked to draw. I can no longer make that claim. I am beginning to enjoy charcoal very much and intend to keep at it once this class has ended. I have never been particularly fond of strong color and these subtle tones really appeal to me.

I have a couple more drawings to share from this particular session. Since I also have more to say, I should save it for posting in the next day or two.
This landscape is about 6"x8".

Drawing Class Sketch #2

This is another twenty minute sketch from drawing class. Our instructor introduced a different technique, which just wasn't working for me. I see how it could/should/would work but I couldn't achieve it. The good news is that I think I know why. So much of art is problem solving. You simply can't fix something if you don't see the problem. The important thing is to make note of your progression. It is so easy to look at someone else's work and feel you will NEVER get there. It is very important to keep in mind that the person you are most in competition with is yourself. Do YOU see improvement in your work? How does today's work compare to that of a year ago, six months ago, last week, yesterday? Sometimes the progression, if you see any at all, is very small. But, it IS there. Every time you try you are getting better. Every attempt teaches you something. There will always be someone you feel is better and that's a good thing. It should be motivation to keep on trying! When I was very young I remember reading "Talent is the desire." I believe that with my whole heart. No one is born knowing how to do anything. We all start from the beginning.
9"x12", charcoal sketch

Drawing Class

I recently enrolled in a charcoal drawing class, my first drawing class ever! I have never particularly cared to draw with anything other than a brush. The hard feel of a pencil on paper just left, leaves, me cold. But charcoal is different. It isn't hard like a pencil and it much easier to manipulate. One could even say it almost flows. I think I could settle into doing a lot of charcoal drawings for a while. It may be the transition to pastels that I have been wanting to try forever! But, for now, I am going to enjoy charcoal. This is the first drawing of my six week class. We had only 20 minutes. As you can see, I was just starting to darken the shadow side, beginning with the eye, when the time ran out. I didn't want to try to finish from memory so it is what it is. Nevertheless, I am encouraged.
9"x 12", charcoal sketch