Untitled #38

Untitled #38

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2012

This 40 min. contour study was completed the week after I went to see an exhibition of Klimt drawings at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. He was such a master draftsman with pure line, and he had this amazing knack to be able to capture subtle turns of the human head with such sensitive accuracy. As in this study of a child's head:  

The head is tilted along every axis in this study, and all of those small shapes on the child's left side are very carefully placed. Unless the head is propped up against a wall or other structure, this kind of head tilt is typically very difficult for a model to hold with any real accuracy over the length of a session as the muscles in the neck usually get sore.  This is another favorite:

All of these angles are very challenging when drawing from life because even the slightest movement can cause the perspective to shift, which can lead to problems of coherence. This is especially important in drawing out the angle of the eyes, mouth, jaw, and nose. One can imagine if the models head in the bottom study even turned the smallest amount you would no longer see the edge of the eye. Models are always moving in the slightest so these studies must have been a real workout for his visual memory and patience on his part, and the models. 

Untitled #37

Untitled #37

24" X 36"

Pastel on Matboard

2013

This large pastel work from life was created with Pan Pastels. As I've mentioned in a previous post; they make it fairly simple to cover large areas of your working surface in a really short amount of time. So they make it possible to work much larger when working with a model. 

This pastel is also a good example of my working style. Especially in how the hair is handled. Due to the time constraints in working from life and the tendency of hair to be a complex juxtaposition of values and shapes - it is where a lot of artists develop their shorthand.  

Untitled #132

Untitled #132

18" X 24"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

This 20 minute drawing was completed at the Joshua Retreat Center in Joshua Tree, CA. They are kind enough at the center to allow for a local group of artists to get together and draw from the model. It's a beautiful setting that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright with construction overseen and completed by his son. 

Untitled #176

Untitled #176

16" X 20"

Oil on Canvas

2013

This painting was completed Alla-Prima in about four hours. I typically don't use such a warm ground underneath the work, but I like the way it worked out here. It brings out the neutral blue used in the surrounding background nicely.  

My working method is pretty evident in the way I handled the subjects left ear. It's merely suggested with a couple of blunt strokes. Although I was quite suggestive in this way, I was careful to check the drawing of this painting in a mirror several times during the working session. Straight on views of the head can easily go askew if attention to bi-symmetry isn't given careful consideration. 

Untitled #119

Untitled #119

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

Drawing or painting from photo reference is not a preference of mine, but for obvious reasons there are undeniable benefits, and for all intents and purposes it is the de-facto working method in a lot of situations. The source of this pose as a photo is somewhat revealed by the angle of view on the model in this 15 min. drawing. Overhead angles are not a common view when drawing from life. Although there is the potential for real dynamism from this angle. 

For me, the greatest advantage of photography as reference in figurative work is holding those moments that prove to be too difficult to persist in real life. Like jumping, pushing, pulling, hanging, outstretched limbs, etc. Transitory facial expressions like smiles are also pretty hard to pull off without a good photo to work from. Although it may never occur to the general public; there is a reason why most people in paintings before photography do not have people smiling ear to ear in them. 

When working from life; it's almost as if your making a three dimensional scan of individuals in your mind. You just get a better sense of how things fit together. The difference between photography and real life can sometimes feel like the difference between looking at a map and actually visiting a place. When people you know, or have met, appear in a dream while your sleeping they usually look convincingly accurate. It's as if your mind is referencing a kind of three dimensional scan like I mentioned above. I'm not sure anyone has ever said to themselves while dreaming, "Hey, something doesn't look right with Bob's mouth.." I suspect this may have something to do with how differently we internalize the dimensional nature of real world experiences. 

Untitled #102

Untitled #102

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

For obvious reasons, shorter poses from life can be difficult because of the limited amount of time you have to work with. On occasion though; things can come together in unexpected ways, as in this 10 minute pose. The model's hugging of the stool displayed a sense of emotional vulnerability which is not often seen. She had a real sense of the acting possibilities that are inherent in life modeling. 

Expressive body language that may be impossible to sustain with a longer pose can be found much more readily in shorter poses, and with a good model who exploits this - it's a real joy.

Untitled #14

Untitled #14

22" X 30"

Charcoal on Paper

2012

Around 2010 or so I began to use some of the Pan Pastel Sofft Tools when working in charcoal from life. While they do have their limitations with respect to getting a tight hard edge; nothing comes close to the way they leave a mark. Another idiosyncratic distinction is that it often takes a bit of work to fill the tooth of a paper with them, which is a good thing. 

The Sofft tools are very much like sponges or make-up applicators. This softness makes them the perfect tool on a delicate surface like Stonehenge paper. Also, when working larger, you can cover a substantial amount of area in very little time without a lot of vigorous effort. Which is a real virtue when working within the time constraints of a posed model.

Untitled #110

Untitled #110

22" X 30"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

Models aren't always into being naked in front of a room of strangers, as one can imagine. Although, there was an opportunity in this pose to add some emotional depth by way of how the shading was handled. So I used the charcoal edge to give emphasis to the main force of the forms. Vertical in the torso, radial in the legs. This brings the focal point to the collection of shapes at the center of her pelvis, which tells the story of the model's mood just as much as the expression on her face. 

Untitled #148

Untitled #148

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

Sara Streeter is a well known model in the Los Angeles area. This 25 minute back pose of her came off well in that I had some time to give attention to the blanket that she was posing on. 

Drapery can really offer dramatic and dynamic lines in the composition of a pose. Especially for my way of working. Drapery, and how it's handled, is also a bit of a personal signature from artist to artist. In my experience, not many workshops afford the time to incorporate background considerations in their set-ups. So it's a welcome addition when something as simple as a well placed bit of cloth is present and adds something of value. 

Untitled #108

Untitled #108

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

Most facial expressions are short lived, but on occasion you will find a consistent expression on a models face throughout the duration of a pose. It's usually not an ebullient one given the strain that life modeling at length can cause, as in this 25 min. pose.

The truth of observation is one of the richest rewards and goals in drawing from life. To see things as they are, and not as we would wish them to be is not often a simple or easy task. Given this, I think it's no small accident that humanity existed for countless generations before the advent of the scientific revolution in Europe. Perhaps due in part to the natural aversion we have to truths that don't conform to the stories we have concocted. It is painful - the truth; but as they say, "No pain, no gain."

It's remarkable to think that so much of the technological and scientific advancements of the last 500 years began just with simply looking, truthfully, at what is in front of us however beautiful or painful*. Faithful observation is at the heart of progress and Life Drawing is a wonderful way to connect with that tradition. 

*The model's hand only presented three fingers to my angle of view. I could have added another one, but hey, that was the painful truth. ; ) 

Untitled #182

Untitled #182

22" X 30"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

Models will oftentimes twist their bodies in an effort to democratize the visual interest of the pose across the spectrum of a room. So the torso will face on direction, the head another, and sometimes the legs and feet another. This two hour pose from life is a good example of this. On occasion it can make what would otherwise be a lackluster pose into something much more dynamic. 

Untitled #39

Untitled #39

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

This was a 25 minute pose from life on newsprint. Although newsprint is non-archival due to the acidity found in most brands, it has unique qualities that I have yet to find in other papers. When working from the figure; the paper exhibits a softness which easily lends itself to rendering common light and shade effects found on human skin. Especially smooth newsprint. 

If you have ever run your hand across a pad of it, you will notice that it has a skin like feel to it as your able to push down on it and the stack rebounds just like skin. The irregular and slightly wrinkled surface of the paper allows for a cushion of air to exist between every sheet, much like how a quilt traps air, and it's this cushion that makes graceful tonal transitions so effortless. 

For soft tonal effects in drawing - something within the mix of tools and surface has to have a giving nature to it. Some artists prefer the tool side via soft willow or vine charcoal, which I use on occasion on other papers, but nothing is as seductive as a soft surface. There aren't many to be found in the world of readily available art materials, but newsprint is one of them.