Life Drawing, Week Three

 The first sheet is filled with various responses I made to the sketeton, including quick and more sustained drawings, different mediums including coloured pencil and graphite and techniques such as layering, drawing negative space and using continuous line. 

The second sheet shows a series of quick drawings using continuous line and not looking at the paper whilst drawing, only focusing on the model. I think it is  a successful drawing in the layout and composition. i think the drawings capture the movement of the feet well.

Life Drawing, Week Two

Life Drawing , Week One

Started the life drawing course this week- to kick off we did some consecutive line  charcoal and pencil drawings layering each on top of the next. I then rubbed these drawings out with a paper towel to create a mid-grey ground, which I then drew on top of again using chalk pastel and a variety of drawing techniques including continuous line, left-handed drawing, two handed drawing, and drawing not looking at the paper! I thought the effect created images that were refreshing and full of energy, and  captured the essence of the movement of model.

We then made a series of 10-minute drawings using charcoal and an eraser on a mid tone charcoal ground, bocking in areas of tone to build up an image. It was difficult to resist the urge to use line in the drawings!

Finally we made eight very quick drawings using oil pastel that was then covered in quink ink , causing a resist effect . We then drew again into the ink using bleach. Some of the images were really simple but very effective. Sometimes the highlight effect of the bleach succeeded in implying a full solid human form.

The Pitmen Painters

I met Richard at my life drawing classes in Cheadle- he is an amateur artist and a thoroughly nice bloke. It was through him that I discovered the 'Pitmen Painters'. Richard kindly lent me his copy of the book by William Feaver about the group of  miners from Northumberland who became known for their art.

Keen to learn about art, the group of miners  set up an evening class in the early 1930's. They were a prolific group producing a huge collection of paintings that amounted to a complete record of life in the mining community.

Their's is a fascinating  story  which has even been made into a play.http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/66843/productions/the-pitmen-painters.html

I 'd highly recommend the William Feaver book 'Pitman Painters' to anyone who might be interested in the story as its fairly in depth  and covers all the main artists of the group including a good selection of images of their works

.http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pitmen-Painters-Ashington-Group-1934-84/dp/1857540360

'Miner's meeting' by a Pitmen Painter

Painting by Oliver Kilbourne