Shadows fall on another year

Here's hoping everyone had a great 2014 and that the new year inspires all to reach for the stars.

Winter Dawn

This is a quick sketch from one of our one session models.  I spent most of the session trying to capture her very beautiful face so this was a slight change of direction.

Sit up straight

This was an unfinished sketch of our dancer.  Such good posture.

A couple of weeks off...

so we'll be mining the older,unposted drawings.  This is from Courage's second to last session for us.  I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas holiday and that this last week of 2014 wraps up a great year for all.

Deep sway

Miss S has an awesome sway to her back, deep and well muscled.  Makes for a lot of fun when drawing.  She held the pose rock solid as well which allowed the shadows to be studied and rendered a bit more in depth than usual.  Great pose.

Barely there

I loved this pose, especially her left leg and the beautiful mass her quad made.  I barely got the shadows knocked in before time ran out.  I may go back on this one even though I have no reference for it.  I knew what I wanted and I'm disappointed that I didn't get to really get to the point of finishing this one.

The pose that kept moving

I really wanted to have this one work out.  Lost edges, nice spot shadows and a beautiful twist to the figure.  Yes, I was hopeful.  However the beautiful twist was too difficult to hold and my plans went the way of the dodo.

Gestures of Miss S

Welcome to our newest model, Miss S.  She has experience with life drawing so she jumped right in and did a great job.

Courage takes a nap

This was a nice little pose, especially with her hair up and her head resting on the drapery.  Too bad the drawing underneath this one is showing through a bit.

Courage coming together

Started sketching in her face at the end of the pose.  Too bad but I also look at it this way... it may be unfinished but at least it's not screwed up.

Coulda, shoulda...

... but not enough time for this great pose.  I just got the general shapes knocked in and the proportions the way I wanted.  Would really love to have had 10 - 15 minutes more to get this to a decent place.

Profile of Courage

Pretty sure I've used that title before.  Hey, it works.  I was trying too hard to get some nice drawings out of this session since I knew it was our last with Courage.  Only a couple made me happy and this isn't one of them.  It's alright, just nothing to jump up and down about.

Gestures of Courage

Good luck, Courage.  Last night was our last session as she has taken the opportunity to spend a year abroad, studying.  Thanks for being part of our group.

A little conté sketch

Nice, simple shapes with the terra cotta conté crayon usually produce decent results.

some more Courage

An unposted sketch of Courage, our little red headed model.  There are things I like and things I dislike about this drawing, probably why I didn't post it originally.

Love that hair

I really enjoy drawing Miss M, her features are unique and the tight curls of her hair tempt me to abandon the rest of the sketch in an effort to capture them.  I resisted the urge with this drawing, though.

Return to Paige

I've really missed drawing Paige.  However, she has quite a lot on her plate and so I can only go back and pull unused images to post when I have a lull.

Back to the old stuff

A previously unposted sketch from last year.  Our dancer gave us some great poses over her time with us.

Simple head study

Again from last year.  Not my usual style but I like the lost edges.

Going waaaay back

April of '13.  Old stuff.

unused sketch of the dancer

The dancer was a wonderful model for us.  I wish she were still posing for us.  This didn't make the initial cut but it had potential.

Back to the old stuff

An unposted (until now) image from the session with Dawn.  Would like to have gotten more work done on her really wonderful face.

Best likeness of the night

It just so happened that it was the last drawing of the evening as well.  Funny but the pose was very similar to the final pose of the previous session.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends.

Back

Simple back pose.  One of the two I liked from the session.  Very basic rendering for a nice sketch.

First attempt

Always a challenge to accurately portray the face of any model, especially in a tight time frame.  By the end of the night I think I did okay.  This was the first real shot at it...

Hmmm

This one vexed me to no end.  I measured the proportions multiple times and I still can't figure out what went wrong with this drawing.  Alas, these things happen sometimes.

Gestures of Miss L

We introduced another first time model, Miss L, last night.  A bit nervous to start with but she did a great job and I think many of the artists got some good work done.  On another note, tonight is Art for the Ages at St. John's Mission Ridge.  Here's hoping that some significant money is raised at this annual art show.

Chillaxin'

Just barely got going on this one.  I think the drapery really helps with the figure in this one.

Two styles

Was enjoying the rendering of the knee and forearm and then I slapped in the face and started to enjoy the abstract technique of the face.  Not much of a cohesive drawing but there are lessons to be learned, at least.

Just trying to get a likeness

Our model had a placid expression that lent itself to an easier time of sketching and getting the shapes to work together and get a reasonable likeness.

Some lines and shadows

Gestures of a new model

     

Thanks to T for coming in, never having modeled before, and doing a great job.  A large group was present and I think there were some very nice sketches done.

Portrait sketch

I liked the delicate nature of the lines I used in this.  Avoiding the strong shadows that would have changed the entire feel of this drawing was the best choice I made.

More lost edges

I really liked losing the arm and middle back in the cast shadow even though I originally was fascinated by the oblique wrapped into the belly of Courage.  Nowhere finished with this one but I think it could turn into something pretty nice.

Remember

Today please remember all those who have served our country and have secured the freedoms we all enjoy. Thank you, veterans.

Torso study

What to say?  Just a little study in form.

Light & Shadow

Some very interesting shapes and the interplay of light & dark is very intriguing to me right now.  When I focus on a specific area and create just form I seem to be reinvigorating my passion for the figure.

Lost edges

I really love this one.  Don't even want to go back in on it or anything.  Not my best but there is just something about the looseness and the abstractions that appeals to me.

High Contrast

Just lovin' the abstract shapes from this session.  Courage's figure was a perfect fit for this kind of drawing.  Would like to actually spend some serious time with one of these poses someday.

Shadow's know

I like the act of "sculpting" the drawing when I'm presented with the strong contrast poses like this one.  The abstract background forming the back edge of the figure with the strong shadow along the side of Courage and then the almost blending of her chest and belly into the extension of the background markings.

Profile in Courage

Sorry, couldn't help it.  To be accurate the title should be "Profile of Courage".

Cast Shadows

Almost abstract, these shadows.  I was having fun finding the hard edges and the transitions as they crossed the figure.

Just a sketch

All about technique with this one.  Just having fun doodling away on a small section of the figure.

Lying down on the job

I had to move my easel for this one, something we don't do a lot of but I ended up in a dark corner behind a couple of students.  Still, this is a much better drawing than the one I would have done had I stayed in my spot.