1st entry for Nov. 19, 2013

On the Tuesday afternoon I was over at Diane Mcgrath's Drawing Room open session with aerial/circus people. Marissa was the aerialist for that day, and these are four 2-minute studies above, and four 3-minute studies below.
These were all done with a Pitt calligraphy point felt-tip pigment pen. The top four are on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper, and the 3's are on 18 x 24"sheets of Canson XL Drawing paper.
The lowest one has been augmented later with some black pan pastel. In a lot of these I've left the hoop under-described with a mind to do their ellipses later. Doing a confident ellipse that's to scale, not wobbly or warped in short time spans I find very challenging, especially in ink, where you get one shot.

2nd entry for Nov 17, 2013

These are two 15-minute studies, a 20-minute one, and a 10-minute one at the bottom. The top one is ink plus oil-based pencil, the third-last is water-soluble graphite on rag paper, and the other two are Pentel brushpen, all on 18 x 24" sheets of various papers.

1st entry for Nov 17, 2013

On the Sunday morning I went over to the session on Sackville, in the Daniels Spectrum building. Sidney was working that day. These are a 5-minute study at top and three 10-minute ones below, done with a Pitt calligraphy point pigment pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.
Some days, lines are better focused than others. They were working quite well that day.

Entry for Nov 15, 2013

On the Friday evening, I got out to part of the open session at the TSA. Carmina was working that night, and I was continuing to explore combinations of brush pens.
These are a couple of 15-minute studies above, and a 20-minute one below.
The top study is Pentel brush pen, India ink wash in another brushpen, with oil-based pencil and pan pastel added later, on 18 x 24" Canson Recycled Sketch paper.
The second one is the same combination of materials on an 18 x 24" sheet of Canson XL Drawing paper. The bottom one is Pentel black brushpen and dilute india ink added with a second Pentel pen.
I find the middle one a little too `pretty', but like the crispness and economy of the bottom one.

3rd entry for Nov 12, 2013

(Reminder that I'll be having an easygoing Studio Open House this coming Sunday, Nov 24, noon - 6 PM and Monday night, Nov 25, 5- 9:30 PM. 165 Bathurst St (just S of Queen.) Door code details on the door when you get there.)

These are four 5-minute studies above, a couple of 10-minute ones below that, and a 15-minute one at bottom. They are all on 18 x 24" sheets of paper; Canson XL Drawing for the top four, Canson Mixed Media for the two below and 150 lb. Maidstone rag paper for the last one.
The media are - Pitt pen for the top three, Pentel brushpen and gray washes for the next three and water-based graphite and graphite pencil on the lowest one.

The mix of trying to set down performer, ropes, costume in such short time spans is a real stretch. I wrestle a lot with using black pens; while I am working they seem like such blunt, uncompromising instruments, and the drawing is a struggle, but afterwards I find I am much more okay with them than while in progress. I caught myself thinking while working on the top study, "whew - all I have to do here is an upside-down foreshortened body- no problem".  Things are relative that way.

2nd entry for Nov 12, 2013

(my open studio will be happening Sunday afternoon Nov 24 and Monday evening, Nov 25.  Everyone's welcome to drop by. Full details a couple of posts below this.)

These are a 2-minute study at top, followed by some 3-minute ones, all done with a Pitt calligraphy tip pigment pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson XL Drawing paper.

1st entry for Nov. 12, 2013

On the Tuesday afternoon I was over at the Drawing Room session. Kadri was working that day, and things were working better this time around - not nearly as many things falling, etc. These are some 30-second, 1-minute and 2-minute studies, all done with a (more cooperative) Pitt calligraphy pigment pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

2nd entry for Nov 10, 2013

(If you've been enjoying images from this blog onscreen, then come visit my studio open house:
Sunday Nov 24, Noon - 6 PM and Monday Nov. 25 5 PM - 9:30 PM. 165 Bathurst, Ste 604
I'd be delighted to have people take a bunch home - and at very reasonable prices.)

- and, this is post number 2,000, for what it's worth -

At top is a 25-minute study with later additional shading added;  the shadows in it don't quite work for me. The second study is 1/2 hour, and I prefer it. The lower two are 25 and 20 minutes respectively.
The top two are on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson XL Drawing paper, done with a grey ink wash brushpen and Pentel brushpen. The lower two are water-soluble graphite applied with a waterbrush on 18 x 24" sheets of 150 lb Maidstone rag paper. The standing figure has some pencil shading as well.

1st entry for Nov 10, 2013

( On the afternoon of Sunday, Nov 24 and the evening of Monday, Nov 25, I'm having an open house at my wee studio. More complete details here later in the week, but plan to come and bring your friends along...)

On the Sunday I went to the monthly longer pose session of the 519 Community Centre drawing group. It takes place from 10 - 1 at the 519 on the second Sunday of each month, and is open to everyone.
Greg was the model this time, and these are 3-minute studies, done with a Pitt calligraphy point pigment pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled sketch paper.

2nd entry for Nov 7, 2013

Lighting was limited, and was switched from underlighting to sidelight partway through the evening. Kat, a friend of the Ren's, was interested in trying out being the sitter and stepped in for a few poses.
These are two 10-minute and a 15-minute study above, a 10-minute and two 15-minute ones below that.
In life drawing sessions I mostly draw people altogether undressed. It's interesting how having some garments - and what type - can shift the character of the drawing. Underlighting can add a degree of drama to images of people, too.
These are all done with Pentel brushpen with dilute India ink shading applied with a fairly broad waterbrush on 11 x 15" sheets of paper. The top two are on Canson XL Drawing paper, and the lower four are on Canson Watercolour paper. I like the very spare shading marks on the portrait study. It would be nice if there was such a thing as a `fine' brushpen, with half the bristles of the Pentel one, as the brushpen line has a lot of character, but gets heavy very easily, at least for me.