5th Entry for August 16, 2009

These 15-minute studies finished off the evening. After that, I went home, and not long after rested in anticipation of a big morning of framing action for the Go Figure exhibition. (which has now wrapped up). I was right about it being a big morning, but due to unanticipated challenges. But that is another story.

4th Entry for August 16, 2009

Bottom to top, these are a 5-minute, 10-minute and a 15-minute study. I find that R- 's face has a sense of calm presence, which I want to try to convey, so I often give over all of the available time to just drawing her head.

3rd entry for August 16, 2009

I stayed on for the evening session at the TSA. R- was working, and these are a couple of 5-minute studies and a 10-minute back study from then.

2nd entry for August 16, 2009

These are a 1-minute gesture pose, 5-minute reclining and 10-minute seated pose. It's always a pleasure to have the opportunity to draw Z- .

1st entry for August 16, 2009

Z- was working at the TSA on the Sunday morning. These are one 1-minute and two 5-minute studies. A couple of the longer studies from then found their way into the "Go Figure" show at Propeller Gallery, which is on til Aug 30th . You can find more info on that here.

2nd entry for August 14, 2009

These were 10-minute and 15-minute poses.

1st entry for August 14, 2009

On the Friday night, K- was working. These are a 1-minute and two 5-minute studies.

Entry for August 13, 2009

On the Thursday, Z- very generously came & sat for me for a piece that found its way into the "Go Figure" show at Propeller Gallery (it's up until August 30...).
Before we worked out a longer pose, she did some warmups. These were all in the 6-8 minute range.
Her flexibility and ability to assume very twisty poses never ceases to impress me.

Entry for August 9, 2009

I didn't have much opportunity to go drawing on the Sunday, so I dragged myself out if bed early to do a bit of work at the TSA. These studies of D- were all done in the 10-minute range. Nothing else from the 2 hours I was there was worth posting.

Some images I am happier with are up at the Propeller Gallery, in their "Go Figure" show, which opens tomorrow, August 20th. For more info on their show, check here

3rd entry for August 7, 2009

These were 15-minute poses.

For the last few months I have been quite partial to these very direct figure studies. They have been done first and foremost for the sake of the experience, but more and more they seem worth exhibiting in their own right. I am showing some similar drawings, done on Japanese paper at a show at the Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts this week, opening on August 20th. A description of the raison d'etre of the show - which is entitled "Go Figure" can be found here

I think it is a good acknowledgement of the role that figure drawing plays for a number of visual artists.

2nd entry for August 7, 2009

These were 10-minute poses.

1st entry for August 7, 2009

(even the most resolute bloggers take a little time out now & then..)
On the FRiday night, I found D- working at the TSA. These were some 5-minute and 10-minute poses she took.

3rd entry for August 2, 2009

These were 15-minute poses that D- took. The drawing was going fairly well that night.

2nd entry for August 2, 2009

These were 10-minute poses.

1st entry for August 2, 2009

On the Sunday night (holiday Sunday), I went over to the TSA and found D- was working. These were 5-minute and 10-minute poses of his.

2nd entry for July 31, 2009

These images are all in the 15-minute and 20-minute range. As with other occasions drawing M- , I struggle with his likeness. This paerticular night I was feeling at one point that there was a tug-of-war, between my desire to set down an absolute image of him, and his willingness to be so represented. It was like some interior battle of wills, going on no doubt entirely in my head. I didn't quite succeed, but a few studies were okay, just the same.
I was also cognizant of the tendency to want to turn models into `characters' - to create a simplified sense of who they are, and draw that. I was aware of wanting to get deeper - to draw M- honestly, rather than just do `M- drawings'.
It's always interesting how psychological considerations enter into the process of representing someone.