I recently attended two live online events hosted by the Cambridge Art Association (CAA), of which I am a member.
On Tuesday night, Steve took over bedtime duties so that I could attend a two-hour figure drawing session. When I lived in New York City, I went to figure drawing sessions all the time. But it has been a while and I am rusty. Plus, doing it on Zoom is a little bit frustrating. The picture quality isn't great and a screen isn't the same as seeing the figure in 3-D in front of you. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself. The focus was mostly on short poses (1 min, 2 min, 5 min), where I usually focus on capturing the gesture of the pose, as in these sketches:
There were a few longer (10 and 15-minute poses) and this is one of the drawings I did during a 15-minute pose:
As you can see, I worked in a Strathmore Mixed Media Pad, on a tabletop easel, using Marabu Art Crayons. You can sketch with any materials you want — charcoal, pencil, markers, watercolor. I say: Use what makes you feel happy and unconstrained! If you'd like to try figure drawing at home, there's a great YouTube channel called Croquis Cafe, where models pose. I should note that the models in those videos are nude.
On Friday, I took a short class called, "Feed Your Creative Soul Mini Session" with Martha Wakefield. (Her website says that she finishes a sketchbook every single month!) Martha took us through a warm-up exercise she often does, which involved a lot of layering with different media. It was right up my alley! Here's the page in my sketchbook from class:
I always enjoy being a student. There's something so lovely about being filled up by someone else's energy and ideas. When I take a class, I always try to write down a few things I want to remember. This is what I wrote down for this class:
- "Creative Sandbox"
- "Make a mark and then do something to that mark." – Jasper Johns
- Between each layer rotate your work counter-clockwise for a new perspective.
The thing I love about writing down these little tidbits rather than step-by-step instructions, is that it allows me to focus on the big picture lessons as well as the unusual or really useful ideas. When I refer back to my notes (I keep them safe and sound in my BuJo), I find that I am quickly re-inspired.
This notation method works well for blog posts, YouTube videos, or even at the end of a project! I hope you'll give it a try.
Thanks for stopping by!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Love the layering of the paintings from the class. Was this an online mini workshop? Not visible on her website. Love that you used different colors and materials for your figure drawing. So good to have a partner in parenting that offers us a chance to get away even for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
Yep. Just 45 minutes online.
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
I really like the tip you wrote on turning your work counterclockwise in between layers…great idea!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Glad you found it useful!
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
Finally drawing “okay” faces. On to figures!!Thanks for being an inspiration.
yay!
yay!
yay!
yay!
yay!
yay!
yay!
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production
Wow! Such an amazing paint work. It seems so vivid and alive. Very sharp and professional touching I must say. I’m mesmerized by your paint. Though I’m not good at art & paint work as I’m working with different image editing platforms such as Image post production and so on. Anyways, very good sharing, please keep sharing. I’ll definitely visit your blog again.image post production