Figure Drawing Update: Model Kathryn

Another lovely Osher Figure Drawing session with my students and professional figure model, Kathryn Zapalo, has yielded a pile of drawings on my studio floor to be gathered up, photographed and displayed on the old wooden easel.  

The time when we draw slips into timelessness, and we focus on capturing her figure on the page, following her contours, expressing her features, finding the shadows that reveal depth.  Can our simple lines and shapes create the form in motion, the effects of gravity against muscles, the light and depth?  We seek the elusive, and what a joy it is merely to seek, to scratch charcoal over paper to see what we can create this time.

My thanks to Kathryn for her light and her beautiful poses!

 

Figure Drawing Update: Duo Modeling Session

 

We finished up the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Figure Drawing class with a duo session featuring models Kathryn & David.  

We began with 5 minute gesture poses to get warmed up. Before intertwining in complicated poses, David and Kathryn gave us standing front and back poses to help us get down their proportional differences.

Having 5 minutes to capture two figures pushes an artist to find the essential contour and structural lines. Focusing on the negative space between the figures helps to simplify the many arms and legs.

After gestures, we moved on to a 20 minute pose.

And finished the class with this 55-minute pose.  Of course, David & Kathryn took a stretch break in the middle. Many thanks to David and Kathryn for their creative poses and inspiration!

An Autumn Canoe Trip

 Sunday's weather inspired an art exploration into Raccoon Creek State Park by canoe.  I packed my nature journal and some paints, and David and I set out to capture the Autumn colors.

As David paddled, I created quick gesture paintings, that I added pen & ink touches to later.

We ventured up the stream that fills the lake, where a beech tree leaning over the water caught my eye.  Behind it was a massive Hemlock tree, and a steep, rocky cliff, creating heavy shadows.

 

Beyond, and around a bend, past a bank beaver's lodge, we found a sand bar, where I sat and painted brilliant Spicebush leaves.

There's nothing like the feeling of being lost in the process of painting nature.  All cares disappear and you are left with just the connection to nature.

Thanks to David for the photos!

Figure Drawing Update: Sophia

 As we come to the end of the first session of the fall semester of Osher Figure Drawing class, we have managed to bring a wide variety of models, and to work in variety of media, finishing up with pastels.  Our model, Sophia, inspired us with creative twists and a professional stage presence.  She finished up with a long pose that she held for nearly one hour, with breaks of course.  Here are my drawings from Friday's session.

Figure Drawing Update: Kathryn

 We had the delightful experience of drawing with color in Friday's Osher Lifelong Learning Figure Drawing class.  At my students' request, and with Kathryn's willingness, I extended the long pose to 2, 25-minute segments.  It almost felt like we were back to in person classes again with the longer pose.

A Fall Hike & Paint Day

 Last week I found a few quiet hours to slip out to the woods, explore a new trail in Raccoon Creek State Park, and splash some Autumn color into my nature journal.  What a restorative experience!

Figure Drawing Update: Hector

 

A dancer by training, Hector created beautiful poses for our Osher figure drawing class on Sept. 25th

Figure Drawing Update: Sophia

I got the opportunity to draw model Sophia this evening during a practice session.  Her poses were strong and elegant.  What a remarkable presence she brought to the stand.  It was a joy to get lost in drawing her.

Warm-up gestures (3 minutes each)