1st entry for April 9, 2013

On the Tuesday I went to the Tons on Tap session at the Rhino pub, where they were having an X-Men themed evening. Local cosplay person Toronto Rogue did a series of short poses. From the top,  these are some 1-minute and 2-minute studies and a 5-minute one at bottom.

I've met people who like cartooning but steer clear of life drawing. To my mind working with live people teaches about how a body language and how a body fits together in ways that really aid in cartooning too.
I'm teaching intro Life Drawing classes at the new Toronto School of Art: Monday nights and Saturday mornings. (clicking on the links takes you to the registration page for each class.) Classes should start this Saturday, May 4.
Also, starting May 9 there's an 8-week Intermediate/Advanced life drawing course I'm teaching Thursday nights at the new Toronto School of Art space at Dufferin and Bloor. You can sign up for it here.

2nd entry for April 7, 2013

These are a 10-minute study at top and three 15-minute ones below. All are done with hard Nobel compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.
Starting May 9 there's an 8-week Intermediate/Advanced life drawing course I'm teaching Thursday nights at the new Toronto School of Art space at Dufferin and Bloor. You can sign up for it here.

1st entry for April 7, 2013

On the Sunday I was over in the morning at St. Cyril's. Lilly was working, and these are a couple of 5-minute studies above, and a couple of 10-minute ones below. All are done with hard compressed Nobel charcoal on 16 x 24" sheets of bond paper.
If you've been curious about learning to draw the human figure, or want to sharpen up old skills, come take an intro Life Drawing class at the new Toronto School of Art. Classes start May 4, and I'm teaching 8-week intro classes Monday nights and Saturday mornings. (clicking on the links takes you to the registration page for each class.)
On Saturday, April 27, the Toronto School of Art is having a `sneak peek' preview open house of the new location from 1-4 pm, It's up on the 2nd floor of the Kent Street School, southwest corner of Bloor and Dufferin. Everyone's welcome to stop by - and you should be able to register in the spot, if you wish.
I'm very sorry, but as it stands it can only be reached by stairs. But once up, it's a really good, light and open space.

Entry for April 5, 2013

On the following Friday night long pose session at Project Art, it was Susan who was working. This is a 2-nour study done with black Prismacolor pencil on an 11 x 15" sheet of 90 lb. Maidstone rag paper.
Starting May 9th, I will be back teaching an intermediate/advanced life drawing class on Thursday nights at the regrouped Toronto School of Art at Bloor & Dufferin. New space, but the same good classes as before. To enroll, more details here.

Entry for March 29, 2013

For the Friday night long pose session at Project Art, Allison was working. This is a 2.5 hour study, done with black Prismacolor pencil on a 15 x 22" sheet of 90 lb Maidstone rag paper.

Furniture's moved in, and the Toronto School of Art's new Spring term classes will be starting May 4! I'm teaching 8-week courses in Introductory and Advanced Life Drawing . Now right at Dufferin and Bloor. If you want some figure drawing guidance, come take a class or two...

http://tsa-art.com/

2nd entry for March 23, 2013

These are a 15-minute, a 20-minute and another 15-minute study, all done with hard Nobel compressed charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

1st entry for March 24, 2013

(TSA progress report: the rescued studio furniture comes back this weekend to the new Kent St. school space. Walls are getting painted, and things readied for early May classes)

On the Sunday morning, Nathalie was working over at St Cyril & Methody. These are all done with hard compressed Nobel charcoal on 18 x 24" sheets of bond paper, and range from 5-minutes to 10 minutes each.

Entry for March 23, 2013

On the Saturday I got over to the morning drawing session in the St Cyril & Methody church basement. I only recently noticed that the church is right across the road from the revitalised Regent Park developments,with a lot of arts groups and other community projects. The whole landscape of the city's smaller culture projects keeps moving east and west of centre.
The Toronto School of Art's restart is on the other side, right across the street from the Dufferin Subway station. Classes and some drawing sessions are slated to start beginning May 4. As it is, salvaged school equipment moves in this weekend. For the list of classes, or to sign up for 8-week Spring classes via Eventbrite, visit www.tsa-art.com. I'm offering four this spring - figure drawing and a perspective class.

These studies are all done with hard compressed Nobel charcoal. The top two and the bottom one are on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper, and the 2nd-last one is on a 22 x 30" sheet of 90 lb Maidstone rag paper. From the top, these are a 10-minute, a 15, a 20 and another 15-minute study.

Entry for March 16, 2013

(The window of opportunity for the Avenue Road spring classes has closed, but another one is just opening...
The revival of the Toronto School of Art is heating up with a historic first term in a new setting, on the second floor of the Kent Street Public School building, right across the Road from the Dufferin Subway. There is an 8-week inaugural Spring Term starting in early May. It'll be a little rough around the edges, but will be history in the making.
The website for TSA is http://tsa-art.com and it is live now.
I'm offering a roster of courses-
Beginner Life Drawing: Monday nights, (7 weeks, 6-9 pm) - full details here, and Saturday mornings, 8 weeks, 9:15- 12:15 - details here.
Intermediate Life Drawing: Thursday nights, 6-9 pm- details here.
Perspective basics and object drawing: Structural Drawing, Friday mornings, 10- 1, full details here.

So now you can come take TSA classes and shop at Dufferin Mall all in one easy trip!)

On the Saturday I got out to draw in the morning at St Cyril's basement in the east end. Alex, a model I was unfamiliar with was working.
These are, from the top, a 5-minute, a 10-minute and 15-minute study, a 20-minute one and another 15 at the bottom.
All are done with Nobel hard compressed charcoal. The 20-minute one is on 22 x 30" 90 lb Maidstone rag paper. The others are on 18 x 24" sheets of bond paper and Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

Entry for March 10, 2013

On the Sunday morning, Corinne was in working at St. Cyril's. These are, from the top,  a 10-minute, a 15-minute, a 20-minute and another 15-minute study.
The top two are on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper, and the lower two are on 22 x 30" sheets of 90 lb. Maidstone rag paper.

Entry for March 9, 2013

On the Saturday morning I went over to the former TSA drawing group session that now happens in the St Cyril and Methody Chutch basement community space, at Dundas and Sackville.  Sidney was working. These are, from the top, a 5-minute, two 10-minute, a 15-minute, 25-minute and another 15-minute study.
All are done with hard compressed Nobel charcoal. The second-last one is on 22 x 30" 90 lb Maidstone rag paper; all the rest are on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

Drawing people like Sidney offers a bit of an anatomical checklist. Starting in a week, I'll be teaching an anatomy for artists class for 11 weeks at the Avenue Road Arts School, on Friday afternoons. More details here.
If you've never done any figure drawing and want to try it out, I'm teaching an 11-week intro class there on Wednesday evenings, also starting in about a week. Details on that here.  ... it's still not too late to enroll, but act now if you want to be part of these!)