Life Drawing Day 4

Drawing 1

Some quick 2 minute sketches to loosen up.

My first attempt at colour

Drawing 2

Until now I have drawn using either charcoal pencil or pastel pencil. This time I decided to push myself a little more and to try and add colour. Since it was something new I spent the first few minutes of this 10 minute sketch trying to convince myself to actually try it!

I was almost paralysed but eventually started using the pastel pencil alone, then selected a dark, a medium and a light. I began to add some dark areas, blocked in some medium areas and then the light areas and finally started to blend on the left forearm.

It didn't hurt, I didn't stop breathing or hyperventilate!!! It was okay. I could do it. Isn't it dreadful what the emotion of fear can do to us? I am so glad that I pushed through this barrier and see below for what I can do now!

Another 10 minute sketch

Drawing 3

No, I didn't regress completely - my pencils needed sharpening! So rather than miss this pose completely I decided to use the one sharp one I had because I knew we were having a break after this pose. I used the break to prepare for the final two drawings.

10 Minutes Colour

Drawing 4

I did it again - I would have like just a minute more to add more of the background colour and the draped fabric around her. As you can see I didn't choose the ideal place to begin adding background colour (at the base of her leg) and this has been misinterpreted. I could add it now but I want to keep it as it is since it is a 10 minute drawing and any changes would alter that originality. By now I was very excited about what I could do and my growing ability. What a bonus these classes have been.

Final drawing for the evening.

Drawing 5

This drawing is slightly different in colour - picked up a different pencil. This evening was so enjoyable and I am so happy with the results. I've even been brave enough to try the hand and foot and I'm relatively happy with them.

Life Drawing and Japanese Garden

Life Drawing

There were not enough people signed up for the models to sit so we decided to sit for each other. Here are the results. We weren't as diligent at timing as usual so this sketch was 6 minutes.

A relaxed pose

Relaxed pose

The evening was fun for everyone. We all sat for a while and all got to draw as well so it was a benefit to everyone. Then someone came in to see how we were going and they sat for us as well.

Legs

A pair of legs

The photo is blurry and I am sorry for that but this will give you an idea. I had decided to focus on one part of the body rather than trying to rush everything. That way I could devote more time to these parts of the drawing.

Final drawing for the evening

A patient sitter

This one took 8 minutes and I really enjoyed doing this drawing. And that brought our evening to an end.

The beautiful, restful Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden photo

This photo was taken around 8.00 am after I had spent 1½ hours sketching early one morning. The garden is so very restful and contemplative but also is beautiful to walk in as well. There are new vistas around every corner and enough to keep me drawing for a whole year! Below is my drawing of the same scene as in the photograph.

Sketch

Japanese Garden sketch

Life Drawing Day 3

Drawing 1

Here are the two minute sketches - I decided to save paper and put 4 on the same page.

10 minute sketch

Drawing 2

This time we were able to do several 10 minute sketches. It gave me a good chance to build up the dark areas a little more.

Another 10 minutes

Drawing 3

This is another 10 minute sketch and this time I was braver and tried out a foot and her hair as well.

Final 10 minute sketch

Drawing 4
I really enjoyed these 10 minute sketches since they gave me time to attempt more than I had previously tried in a five minute sketch.

20 minutes to draw

Drawing 5
This drawing isn't quite right. I think I have made her torso too long but it was a good exercise to work on the forshortened leg. Drawing draped fabrics is still a problem for me.

Final drawing for the evening

Drawing 6
I really enjoyed doing this drawing. Twenty minutes is great for adding in many bits that I couldn't otherwise manage. I feel that this drawing is showing the progress I had made in the previous couple of days.

As I rarely have an opportunity like this I decided to take some risks and try to do things a little differently than I usually do - trying more shading, working the negative spaces etc and by this night I found that as I drew I was actually talking to myself differently than I had previously. Interesting?

Life Drawing Day 2

Drawing 1

This is the first of this series of life drawings. It is a two minute warm up sketch. I find these 2 minute sketches difficult but appreciate that they need to be done in order to warm up to the longer ones later on.

2nd Two minute sketch

Drawing 2

Another quick sketch. I'm still very tentative here.

No 3

Drawing 3

This one is a bit better. I am beginning to be a little braver - even attempting her hand this time and the face as well as more shading rather than lines.

Drawing 4

Drawing 4

This one was quite difficult - only 5 minutes.

20 minute drawing

20 minute sketch

As we had more time with this drawing I was able to attempt her face and also put in more dark areas. I was quite surprised at the result of this attempt. Usually I avoid working on faces, hands and feet but this time I decided that I had to take risks since the chance for me to do life drawings is so rare. Although far from good, I can see that it was worth trying and that I am making progress.

Life Drawings

Drawing 1

I have loaded 7 pictures of my Day 1 of Life Drawing, beginning with the 2 minute sketches and moving to 5 minutes and then 15 minutes. I apologise for the shadowing from page to page, but I did not have any fixative with me and it just happened. Also, I cannot seem to get them to load in the right order so if anyone is able to give me some tips I would be grateful. The pictures are all numbered except for number 7 so you will be able to make out the order that they were drawn.

Drawing 2

Drawing 3

Drawing 4 

Drawing 5 

Drawing 6

Drawing

Draw a bag

Bag

Well, here it is. I've never been brave enough to try and draw cane or anything woven and now that I have struggled through it I cannot say that I have enjoyed the experience. Still, it does mean that I have been drawing. It is pencil and I know it is too light in some places but I could not see me successfully fixing it without making a major mess so I have elected to leave it for now.

Detail 

McGregor School work sample

Work in progress

Here are a couple of photos of one of the samples that we made in class at Summer School. This was all made on the machine with free motion embroidery. I have collaged pieces of fabric, heavily fill stitched, stuffed something - cannot remember what - under organza, created holes and stitched sequins. It is very far from being finished but it was great fun to do so far. Once it is removed from the hoop, it will take on a whole new life as it will scrunch up to a much smaller size. It is interesting and has great texture.

I'm home again...

Still Life drawing

... after 2 fantastic weeks at the McGregor Summer School in Toowoomba. I have managed to unpack all my gear - more than I took with me since I went on a couple of small shopping ventures while I was away. This afternoon I sat down and set up a still life and sketched this jug, bananas and a bell in charcoal. I need to improve at drawing draped fabric a lot if this picture is any indication!

Over the next week or two I will post various pictures and information about the Summer School. The class I took was called 'Paint, Create and Stitch - Machine Embroidery' with tutor Carol Wilkes (see her work here) and was a very technical class. We didn't actually create any works but came home with a lot of samples which I have now put into a book for future reference.

Each night there was the opportunity to go to a life drawing class and I took that opportunity. In just 5 nights I am quite amazed at the improvement in my drawings. I'll post some of them as well, a little later on. And finally I loved the Japanese Garden near the Uni (of Southern Queensland, where the Summer School is held) and I will post photos and a drawing of the Garden as well.

It is good to be home again, and thank you to everyone who has left comments on my blog. It is very encouraging.

New major work

Sneak preview of new work

And finally here is a sneak preview of my next major work. I painted it a couple of days ago and then got myself waylaid with the book covers. I will not be able to do any more of this piece for a couple of weeks now but I am anxious to begin the quilting and it is now ready for that.

Tomorrow my eldest son Michael and I are off to Toowoomba for the McGregor Summer School. Michael is doing an acting class and I am doing Paint, Create and Stitch - machine embroidery which I am really looking forward to. I am amazed at how much gear we have managed to fit in the car. There is quite an extensive requirements list. Fortunately, Michael doesn't have any requirements for his class. There is a life drawing class some nights at Summer School so I will take the opportunity to go along to those and hopefully will build my drawing skills a little more. On other nights there are concerts and there is an artist in residence as well as all the classes.

My husband and other son are off to the farm and are planning all sorts of things to keep them occupied. And then some of us are going to the cricket in the middle of January. So, lots of exciting things to look forward to in the next few weeks. See you when I come home again.

Striking in red

Book cover 4
This one has a red background with silk paper, thread and the tulle layer. Not a good photo but it is quite striking.

Another one

Book cover 3

Second book cover

Book cover 2

This one isn't stitched quite so heavily. I have used my favourite stitch for freemotion - blind hem stitch. It gives a great texture.

Detail of Book cover 1

Detail Book cover 1

Here is a small part of the detail - click on the photo to see a better view.

Last post for a couple of weeks...

Book cover 1

...so I thought I'd better make it a good one. I've been busy making book covers covered with machine embroidery and collaged. The technique I have used is to lay out some fabric, cover it with scraps of fabric and threads. Lay a piece of net or tulle over the top and stitch it all over. Once the stitching is completed burn back to tulle with a heat gun and you have the most exciting shapes and colours showing through from the lower layers. Great fun and a brilliant way to practice your machine embroidery.