2nd entry for Mar 30, 2014

These are three 15-minute studies. all are Pitt pen on 18 x 24" paper. The top two are Canson XL Drawing paper. I often find it tricky to fit tall people on any size paper, but especially on the 18 x 24" paper, and that day was no exception, and Ben's legs have been a bit compressed here. Maybe on some level I am mentally calibrating the page dimensions to my own body scale.
I like the reclining drawing, but the standing one looked too precious, and I contnued to struggle with being true to Ben's face.
The drawing that morning wasn't terrible, but I felt it was one of the weaker outings I've personally had in a while,
The last one here is the same pen on Canson Recycled Sketch paper. I did it as a mostly blind contour drawing, and there's a better truth to it than the other ones I did that morning. I don't entirely like the look of it, but I recognize more Ben and less hypothetical description. Time to do a bit more of the blind drawing...

1st entry for Mar 30, 2014

Drawing from life involves for me a navigating of the space between under-exercising and diminishing returns.
The former has been more the issue of late. The top study here is a 20-minute one of Ben from Feb 28; the only chance I had to sketch that night after a meeting. The other three of Ben were done a month later on the Sunday morning at the Daniels Spectrum.  It was only the 2nd chance I had to go drawing in three weeks, and I was getting rusty. These are three 10-minute studies- there were some others that just didn't work at all, particularly the heads. It was like I was drawing the idea of Bens head more than the fact of it, and lines just weren't coming easily.
These are all done with a Pitt calligraphy pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

4th entry for Mar 18, 2014

The session ended with three 15-minute poses. The top two are done with Pitt pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson XL Drawing paper, and the bottom one is water-soluble graphite on an 18 x 24" sheet of 150 lb. Maidstone rag paper.
When bodies are foreshortened, or any time they interact with objects, like the crash mat here, or chairs, tables and architectural space, perspective comes into play.
In the TSA Spring term I teach a 10-week class on Wednesday mornings called `Structural Drawing', which covers the basics of drawing objects in perspective. You can sign up for it here and save $40 if you enter the promo code SPRING40 any time through April 7th.

3rd entry for Mar 18, 2014

These are four 3-minute studies above, and two 5-minute ones below. All are done with Pitt pen on 18 x 24" paper; the top ones are on Canson Recycled Sketch and the lower ones are on Canson XL Drawing paper sheets.
If you're interested in pushing your life drawing beyond basics, there is an Intermediate level figure drawing class I teach Thursday nights starting Apr. 17 at the TSA. The promo code SPRING40 will get you $40 off 'til Apr. 7th, and you can enrol here.

2nd entry for Mar 18, 2014

These are some 2-minute studies, Pitt pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recyled Sketch paper.

1st entry for Mar 18, 2014

My month of busy continued, and the next time I got out drawing was at Diane Mcgrath's session nearly two weeks later. Kadri was working that day. These are a 30-second and some 1-minute studies, all Pitt pen on 18 x 24" sheets of Canson Recycled Sketch paper.

A good sense of perspective and an understanding of drawing basic volumes -tubes, blocks, cones and spheres - can aid in all types of drawing, and plays a part in figure drawing, especially in regards to foreshortening.
On Wednesday mornings starting April 16 I'll be teaching a course called Structural Drawing at the TSA, which is a 10-week primer in perspective concepts as applied to objects, from simple ones up to and including people. It's 3 hours weekly, you can register here, and if you use the promo code SPRING40 before Apr. 7, you can save $40 of the $420 tuition.

Entry for March 7, 2013

On the Friday I made it out to the monthly Dr. Sketchy's session at Round venue in Kensington.
It was the second edition of the new Sketchy's group, organized by the team behind Toons on Tap.  Cassia Sparkle was working that night in mermaid-themed costumes. These are three 1-minute studies, two 5-minute ones, a 10-minute one and three 15-minute ones.  It was an entertaining session, and interesting ensembles, but not one of my strongest drawing outings. I'm okay with the profile one with the fish; it worked out the best overall.