Drawing from life….like running scales on a piano for a musician, it is crucial.
So I run a drawing session nearly every week with a live model at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts right next to my home in South Carolina. The cool thing is that the classroom is right around the corner from my studio.
This week though I am in my studio on the computer watching along for 4 amazing days of Pastel LIVE. My demo is on Thursday, and I am chatting with artists from around the world. So when you get this I am happily shut up in my studio watching the convention live. I hope to see you online!
Meanwhile, I thought the blog this week would just be sharing a recent portrait I did in a drawing class. Two 20-minute sessions on the same pose resulted in this. Enjoy!
I’ll be back with more regular “words of wisdom” next week…. 😊
This is fabulous. I love that you shared a portrait from live drawing in two 20 minute sessions. Yes! Wish more artists would share. Let’s stay loose and expressive, let’s show Mr. Perfection the exit door. Your portrait is beautiful and I appreciate it at this stage, right now. Did two live figure/portrait sessions yesterday, one at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, 2 hours, with a new model. Then painted in a 3 hour session at night with a model in the Schulenburg Sessions. Live painting informs everything. Some folks may not like my “Alla Prima” sessions. But I learn so much. I don’t want to do photo realism and I am a big advocate of staying loose. So many people say they want that but not everyone does it. So bravo for sharing your portrait!
Thanks so much! Yes, I see artists slavishly copy photos and I think… “why bother? Frame the photo”. I don’t think a painting has to be “loose” to capture life, but it is much harder to represent a breathing, unique person from a static photo. Good for you for practicing seeing from life!
I love this portrait. I’ll be watching on pastel life. I know you will be great.
Thanks! 😀
Thank you! You are so right! Love your work and your blogs!
I am not from Pittsburg but come there for art workshops. Could you please share where there are live models.
Thank you
Im in Greenville SC now!
Thank you