Monday 29 July 2013

Pub Sketches - 29 July 2013

Another dark, cold, rainy night in a cosy warm pub for some more drawing. It wasn't as crowded as last week but still didn't get the best vantage point when I first got there even though I actually turned up on time for a change! Some folks must camp out I'm thinking. Got a better spot after the break and a mass exodus.

This week I used an Aquash brush which was still a bit ink stained from the last time I used it to sketch the outlines and shading before adding line work with a blue watercolour pencil. I added further detail with a grey fine tip marker on the 30 minute sketch. I'm thinking I might have overworked it but it was worth experimenting with.

One guy there tonight was using light warm grey Copic markers to sketch outlines and shading before inking over the top which had a really nice subtle effect. Great drawings with smooth, confident lines. I didn't catch his name but I loved his stuff. He made me want to go shopping for a couple more Copic colours...

Warm up sketches - 1 & 2 minute, charcoal

20 minute pose

30 minute pose

Monday 22 July 2013

Pub Sketches - 22 July 2013

This week we had a variation, a bloke! Now there's a challenge. I'm out of practice drawing male models as the majority have been female over the years. There's a totally different world of muscle tone and fewer curves. I decided to work in charcoal for warm ups and black ball point pen for the longer poses.
 
Warm up, charcoal - 2 mins
 
Warm up, ballpoint pen - 10 mins
 
15 minute pose


30 minute pose
 


 
 

Monday 15 July 2013

Pub Sketches - 15 July 2013

Another cold rainy night but warm and cozy at the pub for life drawing! A lovely model with some beautiful poses this week. I arrived a little late so didn't start out with the best vantage point so I mainly focused on the face and upper body which is all I could see. I got myself into a better position a little higher up after the break and a few people had left.

Tonight I tried another technique using black and grey Copic markers and an old calligraphy pen to get an illustrative, stylised look. Similar to last weeks fine pencil work but a bit bolder. Permanant too, no opportunities to erase bits and start over. I worked on the basic outline first with grey incorporating areas of shadow then worked over that in detail with the calligraphy pen. I'm slowly working out my own style and rhythm.

5 minute poses

10 minute pose - legs and feet study

10 minute pose

Final 30 minute pose

Monday 8 July 2013

Pub Sketches - 8 July 2013

It's below 0c degrees tonight so why not head to the pub for some life drawing? Tonight's model was absolutely stunning! I focused on her face and went for a different style and technique tonight for a bit of a change. I figured I've done enough charcoal for the last few weeks so thought I'd go for a more detailed, illustrative style instead which suited the models fine features and bone structure. I liked the languid, relaxed poses she made which had a real 1920's feel and hopefully that mood is reflected in these two sketches.


30 minute pose


15 minute pose

Sunday 7 July 2013

Eleri Mai Harris comic workshop

Two posts in one day! Not really, this is one I composed on iPad weeks ago but struggled to get it to work on the app. so I'm finally finishing it off.  
 
Once again, I've had a massive gap between creative projects! My motivation has been zero unfortunately even though there have been various opportunities to take advantage of. I seem to get stuck before pen even hits paper because I weigh myself down wanting to make something polished and perfect. 
 
This is why I really enjoyed participating in a comic workshop recently hosted by Eleri Mai Harris http://elerimai.com/ who is currently studying at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont, http://www.teachingcomics.org. We had 20 minutes to produce finished, print ready page for a mini comic which was photocopied and bound by the end of the session. The comic had to include the following elements  
 
  1. A distinctive Canberra landmark
  2. The Skywhale http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Skywhale and
  3. One of Wally Wood's '22 Panels that always work' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Wood. 
This is what I came up with.


I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. It was well organised and involved creating a finished book to take home at the end of the night. The pressure to complete a full page in twenty minutes was a great way to actually create something without dwelling on details or making it perfect which normally involves hours of procrastination! We need more workshops like this for sure. I loved the silk screen cover artwork Eleri had prepared, simple and striking. Another technique I'd love to learn about! 

Life drawing again

Again, it's been ages since I posted anything and ages since I did any drawing for that matter which is why I'm making an effort to get back into it again. Whenever I take a break from it all, I seem to miss it or think about all the things I'd like to be drawing so the only cure is to jump back on the horse and do some stuff, no matter how dodgy it is!

Over the last three weeks, I've been heading to life drawing sessions held at a pub in town. The atmosphere is very casual, there is no instructor or lesson format, it's just people turning up who like to draw the figure with beer, wine, snacks, great music and, in my case, a decent cuppa! I need to focus on getting proportion right but mostly just trying to get my style and technique more refined.

Last week, I also went along to Dr Sketchy's Freak Show at a local bar. The costumes were brilliant as were the models who were mostly Burlesque dancers. There were also some seriously delicious cupcakes on the night! The only downside was the nature of the venue. The bar is right in the middle which made it difficult for 50+ people with sketch pads to navigate around the room and watch the acts & draw poses. The longest poses went for only 10 minutes which isn't long enough if you want to do a completed, detailed drawing. Besides that, it was a fun night and I find people watching is a highlight - 'is that guy here to draw or just to have a perv?' I'm pretty sure I'll go along to the next one too but just be a little more strategic about it. Pick out a fave model, sketch some poses then just super refine my favourite sketch looking back to the model for detail and give myself more time.

Enjoy these sketches and comments are most welcome!

Dr Sketchy

Life drawing at the pub

Life drawing at the pub

Life drawing at the pub