Untitled #247

Untitled #247

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

Another 20 min. Life Drawing completed at the dA Center for the Arts (the A is capped for dA) in Pomona, CA. It's fun to work on unconventional compositions like this where the image is tight on the subject. I feel as though when I work towards the edge of the frame it compliments the angular nature of how I work. It's as if the mutual language between the subject's definition and the frame becomes more pronounced. 

Untitled #291

Untitled #291

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

I drew the model Val Benavides' head in this 20 min. life drawing way over size. Typically I like to draw the model's head at life size when drawing or painting a portrait. Although, sometimes it's just plain fun to draw something huge and ambitious within a short amount of time. You really just kind of have to let go. No underdrawing, no planning, just put it down. Almost every passage in this drawing is comprised of minimal definition as there was no time to belabor anything.

Untitled #153

Untitled #153

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

Angles like this can be a bit tricky as they are rather unconventional. Although they can often make for a more interesting composition. Of course it's difficult to make any serious composition plans when the pose is only 20 min. long as in this drawing. This is especially true when working at bigger scales like 24" X 36".  

I'm not a huge fan of 20 min. interval poses when working larger as most of the time is spent trying to get enough down so that you have something worthwhile for the effort. I find 25, 30, and 40 min. poses to be much more rewarding. Even when working smaller. Regardless of the pose length though, it's still a joyous experience to be working from life.

Untitled #93

Untitled #93

22" X 30"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

In this 40 min. drawing I spent most of my time on attempting to capture the likeness of the model. I left the hair and many aspects of the drawing as mere suggestions. I do this often, and not just because of time constraints, but because I've been a fan of the vignetted composition going back to when I was a kid.

There were two kinds of portraits of George Washington hanging on many classroom walls when I was growing up. The finished version, and the unfinished version. I always found the unfinished version much more fascinating. The exposure of the process in a work of art just seems to affect the senses in a way that "finished" work does not. It's a bit like seeing the face in the vase optical illusion and perceptually going back and forth in your mind between the two objects. Somehow it's endlessly fascinating and gives a work a bit of an interactive element to it; because it requires perceptual participation on the part of the viewer to complete the visual sentences. 

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 #194

Untitled #194

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

This was a 40 min. pose from life done at the DA Center in Pomona, California. It was nice to have the extra time to draw out the chair and complex interaction of shapes around her hands and feet. I feel compelled to articulate the surroundings if time allows and I think it will add something needed.