"Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul." Vincent Van Gogh

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Life and a Laugh!


Cyndi in Repose / graphite on smooth tan paper / 35 minutes

Today was the end of this current session of life drawing and I am so sad! There is something so magical about drawing the human form from life and I always wish it would never end. The poses today were excellent as our model was very intensely focused. I once again went for the view with extreme foreshortening and am happy how this sketch turned out. I think 30 or 35 minutes is enough for me to catch the essence of the pose without going into excruciating detail. This drawing is on smooth tan paper with a few white charcoal highlights here and there.


Cyndi / 20 minutes / ebony graphite on newsprint

We did two sitting poses and eliminated the  long standing pose today. I think the instructor had a fear of the model falling off the platform and wanted to reduce the risk of that happening again! In any case, each one was a great pose and I was happy.

Cyndi /  30 minutes / ebony graphite on newsprint
As a warm up, we did our usual five 1 minute poses - they are so quick, I am never sure what I am capturing with my Conte as I draw them!
Two 1 minute poses / Sienna Conte on newsprint

Three 1 minute poses / Sienna Conte on newsprint
And now that the life sessions are over for a while, I found myself wondering what I could do with these sketches. It seems a shame to just hide them away in their sketch books so I decided to try my hand at painting a few of them in oil and came up with this composition.  I am not sure what I will do with it but it was fun getting to this stage!
24x36 / oil on linen

I had a very funny conversation with my husband the other day and thought I would share it with you. Last week, after coming home from my drawing class, I told my husband about the incident with the model where he fainted and fell off the platform. I explained that he was nude and the instructor ran over with his robe to cover him and my husband exclaimed "You are drawing naked men!" When I told him yes, we draw nude men and women in life drawing class, he asked me "Can't you find a Farm Animal drawing class instead?" I laughed so hard - I had just assumed he knew what life drawing was - but apparently NOT!

18 comments:

  1. Your models are all so wonderfully dramatic and innovative in their poses - and you capture them so well! I find it funny that your hubby just NOW finds out what life is all about!!! LOL

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    1. I had to laugh at him, Debbie. I guess I should come to Texas and paint some of your beautiful farm animals - he would approve of that! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I love how you have decided to paint your cow using different colors each time. Its so interesting to see the different effects and a great exercise. I will try it some day!

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  2. You skill is awesome. I know how good you have to be to capture what you do in such a short time.
    Like the paintings of the sketches.
    ADORE the story of your husband reaction!!!!

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    1. Hi, Julie - I am still chuckling at his reaction :)!

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  3. Bonjour,
    Je suis très heureuse de vous retrouver après mon absence... Bien que mon retour se conjugue avec du travail en retard !!...

    Je suis très contente aussi de faire un petit retour en arrière et d'admirer vos nouvelles créations.
    Dans votre dernière publication, je reste très émerveillée devant vos dessins. Votre "écriture" est bien présente. J'aime...
    Il est bon ce travail rapide pour le poignet et aussi le regard, tout comme les gammes pour le pianiste. Vous réussissez parfaitement bien. Vous allez à l'essentiel ainsi.
    Bravo ! c'est excellent!
    Je ressens une belle satisfaction en lisant votre publication. Ces cours vous plaisent terriblement.
    L'anecdote avec votre époux m'a énormément fait sourire... C'est trop drôle !!
    Proposez-lui de devenir le modèle !...
    Gros bisous à vous ma chère Susan...

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Martine Alison. I think I will always be a student of drawing as well as painting - there is so much to be learned, so much room for progress and improvement. Much of the satisfaction of being a painter is in the journey!

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  4. Haha so funny, your husband! Really awesome sketches, Susan!

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    1. Thanks, Judy - I am trying to put some of these sketches into a painting. Its not easy as I must improvise on the color and the lighting. I am unsure how it will turn out!

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  5. OMGosh, Susan!!! A very funny story...your husband made me laugh! These drawings are wonderful and you have very good models. I have tried live models but I don't do well AT ALL! so
    I don't do them anymore!! I love the color version as well!!!

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    1. I am still chuckling over it myself!
      We are lucky to have a nice variety of serious models for these sessions. I never tire of drawing them. And I encourage you to try again. I was terrified the first time I tried life drawing - now I love it!

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  6. Amazons sleeping after the battle, in red.
    You inspire me to get back to practice, thank you very very much, your drawings are grrreat.
    I am with your husband, I see naked people, not nude models too..

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    1. Yes - Amazons in repose! One of the challenges with the 1 minute poses is to try and make a pleasing composition with multiple figures on pne piece f paper. It all moves so fast - its a wonder anything recognizable results! LOL - there is a big difference between naked and nude. I think when the nude model fell off the stand, he must have felt very naked!

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  7. It's nice to find your blog and see all of your figure drawings. I've signed up for a life drawing class that will start in a couple of weeks and your work makes me very excited to start.

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    1. Him Nancy. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind comment. I know you will love it as much as I do. Drawing from life is nothing short of exhilarating!

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  8. I am still laughing at the idea of a Farm Animal life drawing class. Having someone there to clean up their regular offerings, bribing the animals [with food] to hold a pose - hilarious!!!
    As always, I love your drawings, Susan, and I will miss your class, too.
    I like that idea of Amazons sleeping after the battle.

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  9. Actually, I love the idea and would definitely attend if it were available - lol!

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  10. Your husband is the best!
    Farm animals rock!
    Let's see if we can come up with a "Life Farm Animal Class!"
    Now back to your wonderful art!
    Wow!
    Wow!
    Wow!
    Bravo Susan!
    Michael

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    1. I do think I would enjoy drawing farm animals from life as much as I enjoy drawing humans! What a fun class that would be!

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Your comments are welcome and brighten my day!