Here’s the last life drawing I did at this week’s session, it’s a 50 minute pose and I used Daler Rowney Artist’s soft pastels onto a heavyweight vintage paper. It’s always a bit of a problem fitting the model onto the paper, so framing the subject is important. I decided to put our model into the background so I could fit him all in and emphasised the geometric shapes of the materials and cushions he was sitting on to fill up the rest of the paper.
The pastels are gorgeous. They’re nice to scribble with but they really shine with saturated pigment when I rub them with my fingers, releasing the oils and vibrant colours. Rubbing emphasises the rough texture of the beautiful paper as well.
A Chance To Own One Of My Artworks
I have some small screenprints for sale, inspired by my drawings of the taxidermy collection at Swansea Museum. I have given these antique artifacts a modern twist by combining them with images of rubbish – old fruit nets, bubble wrap and plastic – highlighting the problem of human pollution and how it affects wildlife.
To buy my work on the Swansea Print Workshop site please click the image to the left and to see the complete image.
20 percent of the cost of each screenprint sold goes to support Swansea Print Workshop, which receives no public funding.
Yes, they tend not to be bulky and rectangular 😀 LOL ….. but maybe some are 😉
I always had that same problem with life drawing—fitting the model onto the paper!
I love this, and love the way the fabric in the foreground draws the eye towards the model emphasising that he’s the important feature of the drawing. It’s interesting reading how you planned the way you were going to frame your drawing – I’d never thought of this but it’s obvious, isn’t it!
Yes, there’s always the issue of exactly what you draw, I guess it’s the same with writing. You could draw / write so much but you have to edit some things out, or try from a different angle ….
yes, that’s true – sometimes the most important part is in the background and the reader/viewer has to be drawn to it. I find it tricky not to be too obscure, but not to make it too easy or give the game away! Lots of hints and nudges but lightly done!
It’s like editing before something is even on the paper and often that’s instinctive, although instincts built up over years of experience and practice 🙂
Yes, absolutely! My head is busy all the time… which I guess is why I am so forgetful about real things!