Marathon Figure Drawing

Today was the Marathon Figure Drawing session.  I didn't stay the whole day, I got there at 10:30 and stayed until about 5:30.  There was a long poses and short poses room, and I chose the long poses because I wasn't sure about what to expect and I'm still getting used to the whole drawing naked people thing.  I was thinking the long poses would be about an hour, and they would do a few of them.  Nope, just one looong pose that lasted about 3 hours.  I've never spent that much time on a drawing, but for whatever reason, didn't stop and do multiple drawings.  I just kept working and working. The first model I drew enjoyed walking around and seeing what the artists were working on and at one point, later in the session she came around and said "Every time I see it, I think you're done, but then it gets better!"  By far the best compliment I've ever had about my art work.  I even had another artist that stood behind me for a few minutes and just watched me work.  I felt very flattered!  I am extremely happy with what I did.  Next I'd like to work on doing short colorful figures that are abstract in color but not shape.  Anyway, I wanted to post what I completed!

Between the two, this is my favorite.  I started with a layer of pinks and purples and slowly added oranges, blues, and lights.  I really did spend the whole three hours on it.  Great model, very elegant, with a beautiful neck.  I had a lot of fun doing this.  It is Nupastel on Pastel Paper with Pastel Pencil details.

Number two.  Again, happy with it.  This pose was harder.  While the monitor had taped markings so that the model could take up the same pose after breaks, her torso and face were slightly different after each break.  Her lips were very tight which made that particular detail hard to draw.  There was a black cloth draped over the bench she was sitting on, but I preferred to add more color into it.  For this one, I started in oranges, reds, and browns, and then built up by adding pinks, purples, greens and blues.  Same as the first, Nupastel on Pastel Paper with details in Pastel Pencil.  Let me know what you think!!

Open Figure Drawing

So the update from my open figure drawing session is interesting.  It was last Thursday (sorry for the delay) and I stayed in my car in the parking lot for a while just to check out the scene.  But the only people showing up were guys in their 40s and 50s.  So here I am thinking that its could be a bunch of perverts masking as artists to see a peep show.  And then my fears came true, my first time ever drawing a nude live model was a guy.  A guy in his 60s no less, but it was a learning experience and good practice.  Unfortunately out of the 20 people who showed up for it, only 1 person spoke to me other than the monitor.  And the monitor preceded to compare my drawing with the guy next to me... so much for constructive criticism.  Nonetheless, I'm happy with what came out of it, and pleased with my sketches.  The 2 minute gesture poses are awful so I won't show them, it was obvious that it was my first time, but I will post the two 5 minute poses, the 10 minute pose and the long pose which I think was an hour and fifteen minutes (with breaks).  Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Adventuring more into figures

Most of the figure drawings I've done have been either in charcoal or so abstract in color that I didn't need to worry about getting flesh tone colors right.  So last night I tried doing flesh tones and they came out pretty well!!  Sorry about the poor quality, its a picture off of my phone.

I put some blue in the shadow and pink over some of the jaundice looking areas with my pastel pencils after this was taken.  I also changing the teal blanket and added more color and shading to it.

I'll be practicing some quick drawings of figures tonight because I'm going into my first ever open figure session tomorrow night at the Art League of New Britain and I'm nervous!!!  I've never done it before and I really don't want to fail in front of a bunch of people!! Okay, less talking and back to practicing! Wish me luck!

Blue Nude

New drawing... a female figure in blues with yellow/orange background.  Just experimenting.  I like it.  Never drawn a nude before so.... it is a learning experience.

Nupastels on Strathmore pastel paper.