Gestures plus one

The gestures and a five minute exercise in futility.  The above sketch was me trying to draw a horizontal pose in the vertical, making the adjustments in my head.  First, if I were to do that again (as it was a total failure) I would take more than five minutes to try and work it out.  Second, I'd probably not try it again.
 

Final sketch from the last session

 Long session.  This started to come together and I delved into some more of the in and out aspect of shadows being shared across the figure.  This is something I really want to explore more.

Okay, I can get behind this one

 This starts to feel more like me and what I see when I draw.  The lost edges, the shading and blending.  Yeah, I like this one.

Fail

 Yeah, uh, this just didn't work.  Again, 10 minutes really didn't come close to making this one even remotely successful.  I should have just concentrated on a section of the figure.

Better

 This one started to feel good and reminded me that 10 minutes just ain't enough to get the results I want.

Not a good one

 This one was frustrating and I only post it to make myself try harder.

5 minutes...

 and it shows.  Two weeks off takes a toll.  That and traveling around the country.

Gestures of Samm

 Just gestures.  You know, the poses you wish could be held for 20+ minutes.

45 minute sitting

 I decided to move my easel and it paid off.  I had a blast working on this one, especially the left forearm.  I really got lost in pushing the conté around and creating the soft texture.  Just fun.

15 minute sitting #3

 Yeah, I didn't get a lot of variation in the angle from my vantage point.  So I spent a lot of time rendering Samm's back.

15 minute sitting #2

 A little study Samm's foot coming out from under her left leg.  This was fun to do.

15 minute sitting #1

 Just some shapes to play with.

Some gestures

 Wotta messy page o' quick sketches.

45 minutes

 The long pose came out the best.  Often, but not always, the case it seems.  Another fun sketch that came together quite nicely.

 You can never go wrong with the larger shapes and good mass.  Add to that great shadows and you at least have a fun drawing to work with.

A better effort

 I enjoyed working on this one.  I didn't get that far but it was coming along better than some of the sketches.

Not my favorite

 

I really had a tough time getting into this drawing.  And yes, it shows.

Too much information for 10 minutes

 I'm gonna try and stretch these out since we don't meet for another couple of weeks.

Back with some gestures

Samm really gave us a couple of challenging gestures.  They may not be reflected in the pages but she shot for the moon.

 

Long and languid pose to end the evening

 Same old story (you know it by heart)  Not enough time (so this is incomplete art).

Forward leaning

 Oh man, so much going on in this pose.  I could have been happy if this were the last pose of the evening and I had 45 minutes (at least) to work on it.  Alas, about 15 is all I was given.  Beggars can't be choosers and all that...  but what a wasted opportunity!

Don't knock the noggin

 Unfortunately her head continued to turn as the pose drug on.  What we have here are three distinct poses amalgamated into one drawing.

Only so far before the knee stopped me cold

 I have said it before and I'll say it again... KNEES ARE AWESOME TO DRAW!!!  Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Back to drawing from the figure

 The gestures of Lady P from last evening...

Gangland's Doom: a review

 This is out of the normal realm of figurative drawings but since it's my blog...

   The 50th Anniversary Edition of "Gangland's Doom" was released a month or so ago.  I did the cover art for the hardbound edition and the interior art for both versions as well as a color tweak of the interior art for the back covers.  I've been a fan of The Shadow since I discovered a copy of "The Living Shadow" in a used book shop back in the early 70s.  I became aware of "Gangland's Doom" by Frank Eisgruber, Jr. in the 80s, around the time Chaykin did the whole revival and update of The Shadow.  Never did I think that I could be involved in such an historic project as this.  So, allow me to smile and have a little pride in this wonderful addition to the history of The Shadow.  Click here to watch a very complimentary review of this book and my art.  (the gushing praise starts at 2:39)

 

My favorite

 Again, I could do these kinds of drawings all day long.  Love the masses, shadows & shapes.  Lost edges really pull me into these types of images.

45 minute pose

 A struggle from start to (semi) finish.  Lots of stuff to work with and yet I just couldn't get where I wanted with this one.  It happens.

Kinda cheeky

 This would make a nice little pin-up piece if I were to take it to final.  As it is, it's just a nice little sketch.

Just couldn't make this work

 Although the proportions art accurate, I just couldn't do the pose justice.  Probably not a drawing I will try to make it viable.

Gesturely efforts

 Lines, lines, everywhere a line.  To steal from a great song...

Favorite of the night

 Lots of cast shadows and lost edges.  I'd love to do these all day long.  This was a lot of fun to do.  Grateful it was only a fifteen minute pose or I'd have overworked it.

Disappointed

 I may continue beating this one to death.  I know there is something there, I just couldn't make it work during the session.  Frustrating.

Crossed

 

A little leg study.  Dig those cast shadows.

Portrait in 10

Just a little vignette of Samm.  I may go back in on this and make it even more vague.

Sketchy

Some nice poses for our gestures.  Thank you, Samm.
 

Comfortably numb

 This was a great pose with a lot of potential.  However, I fear I chose the wrong medium.  I should have tried conté and better paper.  Still, I'm fairly happy with a few aspects of this sketch.  Mostly the face.

Kinda messy

 Lots of smudging of vine charcoal and a bit of charcoal pencil.  I wish I had gotten further...

Vogue...

 ... strike a pose.

Them glasses

 Always fun to draw the specs, but I asked her to take them off for other poses.  You'll see even if she can't.

Gestures from a fun session

 Lady P and her one minute gestures.

My choice for the best effort of the session

 This study has some nice shapes and relations to it.  I'm even glad that it didn't get finished.

Better paper for the longer pose

 And yet it didn't help.  This one just didn't come together for me.  I wish I had put a bit more interest in her face but I left it 'til the end of the session and I just didn't get it worked out correctly.

Incomplete... like my thoughts

 A perfect example of running out of time.  I like what I was able to get done but ultimately this is just an exercise in noodling.