3rd Entry for Aug 21, 2011

Above are three 5-minute studies, and below are two 10-minute ones.

For any of you looking for art instruction, the Toronto School of Art's fall term is beginning in a couple of weeks. I teach introductory life drawing Saturday mornings (course  # 902) and Intermediate life drawing on Wednesday nights (course # 832).  You can get more details here.

2nd Entry for Aug 21, 2011

I returned for the evening as well. G-  was working that night.  These are 1-minute studies, done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of cartridge paper.

1st entry for Aug 20, 2011

Just after a soul-nourishing trip to Montreal and just before a week of teaching art anatomy, I went over to the TSA for the morning.   H-    was working , and it was the first time I had met him.

At top is a 5-minute study, then a 10-minute one and two 15-minute studies at the bottom. All of these are done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of cartridge paper.

4th Entry for Aug 15, 2011

These studies of S-   in her final costume change are, from the top, two 5-minute ones, then a 10-minute and a 15-minute study, plus a 5-minute one to wrap up.The shiny fabrics were a good challenge as well.
All of these are done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of cartridge paper.

3rd Entry for Aug 15, 2011

S-  returned from a break with stripes and straps a-plenty, which was fun to try to set down. 

At top is a 5-minute study, then two  10-minute ones, followed by a 5-minute one at the bottom that I continued to work on during the next break.

3rd Entry for Aug 15, 2011

These are 5-minute studies as well, though the shading and chair details in the lowest one continued on through a break. These are the same charcoal/paper combination.

Some of the performers who work at the Dr. Sketchy's sessions are not the strongest at sustaining their poses. They are interesting performers with remarkable and challenging ensembles, and I take their wobbliness as part of the challenge of the whole package.  S-  was very good at holding a pose, though, which helps the drawing process.

2nd Entry for Aug 15, 2011

These are a (generous) 1-minute study at the top, and two 5-minute ones below.  S-  is an award-winner at pole-dancing, and it showed in her muscle development, particularly in her arms. 

All these are also done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" cartridge paper.

1st entry for Aug 15, 2011

I was back at the Cameron House for the Dr Sketchy's session on the Monday night.   S-   was working that night.  Prior to the start of the session, I was assiduously sharpening multiple pieces of charcoal and warming up.  Because I am a fairly unknown quantity there, it struck me that it would be amusing to have someone go through that whole preparatory process and then draw the most untutored kid-style drawing. So for the first three 1-minute poses I worked on stick figures.
After that I swung back into more standard gesture studies. It took the first couple to get into my proper drawing groove.

These are all done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of cartridge paper.

4th Entry for Aug 14, 2011

I returned to exploring fragmentary compositions for the last part of that evening. These are two 15-minute poses above, and two 20-minute ones below.

3rd Entry for Aug 14, 2011

Above are two 5-minute studies, and below are two 10-minute ones, using the same charcoal/paper combination as above.

2nd Entry for Aug 14, 2011

I was back at the TSA for the evening, where S-  turned out to be working.  These are 1-minute studies, done with hard compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of cartridge paper.

1st entry for Aug 14, 2011

On the Sunday afternoon, I got in for part of the drawing session.  C-   was working then. These are all roughly 20-minute studies, done with hard compressed charcoal on cartridge paper.

Bonus Entry for Feb 18, 2011

While I was drawing on the Thursday, I discovered a graphite drawing on Japanese paper that had been sitting in the roll of paper that i use for padding. It was a 20-minute study of D-   from earlier in the year that got overlooked. So this seems a good time to include it.