In Friday’s post I bragged about the drawings created in my recent Painterly Figures with Tone class. The earlier post shared how beautiful a drawing can be when the figure is sketched with no more or less attention than the wall behind it, with no outlines or delineations of form, only scribbles of tone. Today’s drawings go even further into abstraction.
These drawings were created by making short, distributed marks as they float in space, sometimes connected by a trail that an ant might take across the surface. There are no outlines, no delineated forms. This is incredibly engaging and concentrated work, and requires leaps of faith because there is no solidity at all to hang on to while they draw, and unlike our typical 20 minute studies, these take hours. The artist’s challenge is to keep making marks where they see them, without any of the typical efficient methods of sketching things out before time is invested, or connecting and affirming the correct positions before they have naturally emerged. Over time, the scene sort of coalesces out of mess. I’m including some of the first stages so you can see how the drawings emerge. I think they’re deep and exciting works. See what you think.
Again, please kindly overlook any flaws in the photography. The images were taken on the fly, past sunset.
Lyall
Karen
Karen
Morgan
Kathy
I love these Sunday figure drawing classes. No class is ever the same. Every class introduces a different approach to drawing. Next series is based on composition. “Composition” tends to sound like a great way to take the spontaneity out of a drawing, but I assure you, this is one of the most spontaneous and interesting methods of drawing I’ve ever experienced! Want to give it a try? I’m offering classes for beginner and intermediate artists.
V. Notes are daily–ish thoughts and ideas related to art. I might post a series of pictures, a technique, an idea for a project, or some philosophical rambling. I try to make these emails relevant, but they’re not pre-planned, and they’re not perfect. They’re just thoughts in the moment, take ’em or leave ’em. Hopefully they’ll spark some thoughts and help get your artistic …
Today’s WORD Challenge: Coptic. Media is artist’s choice. Coptic art includes any of the murals, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, relief sculpture, and metalwork associated with the Greek and Egyptian speaking Christian peoples of Egypt from about the 3rd to the 12th century AD. Coptic icons depict beautiful religious narratives, and do not reach to portray realism, depth, naturalistic …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9791″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Connie Pierson, Art: Before/After League Scientists say that making art improves your happiness quotient. Happy creatives have been posting work all over the everywhere on Facebook and Instagram pages. Connie Pierson, Lucy Garnett, Alex Walker, Bolinas Frank, Siobhan Wilder, Madeline Mimi Torchia Boothby, Elva Frances, Mahala Mrozek, Marina Vogman, Laura …
Lendy and I met this evening and painted little studies in preparation for the upcoming workshop Paint like Alice Neel. We had League model/instructor Mark MacKenzie dress up in a suit and tie, and sat him in my new (old) green chair. It’s shabby and low to the ground, so he looked angular and awkward, …
Painterly Figures with Tone: Part 2
In Friday’s post I bragged about the drawings created in my recent Painterly Figures with Tone class. The earlier post shared how beautiful a drawing can be when the figure is sketched with no more or less attention than the wall behind it, with no outlines or delineations of form, only scribbles of tone. Today’s drawings go even further into abstraction.
These drawings were created by making short, distributed marks as they float in space, sometimes connected by a trail that an ant might take across the surface. There are no outlines, no delineated forms. This is incredibly engaging and concentrated work, and requires leaps of faith because there is no solidity at all to hang on to while they draw, and unlike our typical 20 minute studies, these take hours. The artist’s challenge is to keep making marks where they see them, without any of the typical efficient methods of sketching things out before time is invested, or connecting and affirming the correct positions before they have naturally emerged. Over time, the scene sort of coalesces out of mess. I’m including some of the first stages so you can see how the drawings emerge. I think they’re deep and exciting works. See what you think.
Again, please kindly overlook any flaws in the photography. The images were taken on the fly, past sunset.
I love these Sunday figure drawing classes. No class is ever the same. Every class introduces a different approach to drawing. Next series is based on composition. “Composition” tends to sound like a great way to take the spontaneity out of a drawing, but I assure you, this is one of the most spontaneous and interesting methods of drawing I’ve ever experienced! Want to give it a try? I’m offering classes for beginner and intermediate artists.
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V. Notes are daily–ish thoughts and ideas related to art. I might post a series of pictures, a technique, an idea for a project, or some philosophical rambling. I try to make these emails relevant, but they’re not pre-planned, and they’re not perfect. They’re just thoughts in the moment, take ’em or leave ’em. Hopefully they’ll spark some thoughts and help get your artistic …
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Today’s WORD Challenge: Coptic. Media is artist’s choice. Coptic art includes any of the murals, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, relief sculpture, and metalwork associated with the Greek and Egyptian speaking Christian peoples of Egypt from about the 3rd to the 12th century AD. Coptic icons depict beautiful religious narratives, and do not reach to portray realism, depth, naturalistic …
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[image_with_animation image_url=”9791″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Connie Pierson, Art: Before/After League Scientists say that making art improves your happiness quotient. Happy creatives have been posting work all over the everywhere on Facebook and Instagram pages. Connie Pierson, Lucy Garnett, Alex Walker, Bolinas Frank, Siobhan Wilder, Madeline Mimi Torchia Boothby, Elva Frances, Mahala Mrozek, Marina Vogman, Laura …
Painting like Alice Neel
Lendy and I met this evening and painted little studies in preparation for the upcoming workshop Paint like Alice Neel. We had League model/instructor Mark MacKenzie dress up in a suit and tie, and sat him in my new (old) green chair. It’s shabby and low to the ground, so he looked angular and awkward, …