Figure Drawing
Why do I do life drawing, when my main interest is in landscape?
When I was fifteen I was attending the Manchester High School of Art.* From the age of eleven, we could do graphics, ceramics, painting, printing and so on. A dream for those so inclined. However, we didn't have life models.
So I went to an evening life-drawing class at what was then the Manchester Regional College of Art. I wandered into the Life Studio and saw a model on the podium. For a minute or so I felt a bit embarrassed at being in a public space with a naked person on view. But within ten seconds of getting into the drawing, the embarrassment dissolved, and has never returned. I also quickly realised two things, - life drawing was very difficult, and it was really valuable.
And over the years I've also realised that it never gets any easier. Plus, it retains its value. For anyone involved in the visual arts, life work is the discipline.
Simply because everyone knows what human beings look like, it's impossible to get away with mistakes, - in the way that you could if the subject is less familiar to the viewer. So life drawings tend to be drawn with more rigour than any other subject.
Why do I do life drawing, when my main interest is in landscape?
When I was fifteen I was attending the Manchester High School of Art.* From the age of eleven, we could do graphics, ceramics, painting, printing and so on. A dream for those so inclined. However, we didn't have life models.
So I went to an evening life-drawing class at what was then the Manchester Regional College of Art. I wandered into the Life Studio and saw a model on the podium. For a minute or so I felt a bit embarrassed at being in a public space with a naked person on view. But within ten seconds of getting into the drawing, the embarrassment dissolved, and has never returned. I also quickly realised two things, - life drawing was very difficult, and it was really valuable.
And over the years I've also realised that it never gets any easier. Plus, it retains its value. For anyone involved in the visual arts, life work is the discipline.
Simply because everyone knows what human beings look like, it's impossible to get away with mistakes, - in the way that you could if the subject is less familiar to the viewer. So life drawings tend to be drawn with more rigour than any other subject.
Figure, Graphite Study
Reclining Female
Oil Pastel
To read some thoughts on figure drawing using oil pastels go to -
<http://www.harryrobertsonpainter.com/2011/12/using-oil-pastels>
Oil Pastel
To read some thoughts on figure drawing using oil pastels go to -
<http://www.harryrobertsonpainter.com/2011/12/using-oil-pastels>
Study of Hands
Graphite
Graphite
Roy's HandConté Crayon
Life Drawing, Reclining Man
Conté Crayon
Conté Crayon
