Doing the Work: Figure Drawing

Remember way back in 2011 when I wanted to work on drawing faces? They were so hard to draw so I had always avoided sketching them. It was time to take my own medicine and just do the work. I did a quick sketch of a face every day.

Some of the results were pretty good, at least better than at the beginning.

About midway through last year I started regularly attending a life drawing session at a local gallery. Models are hired to to pose (nude) and artists come and draw or paint. I’m definitely the beginner in the group but everyone is very friendly and encouraging. I was quite nervous at first – thinking it would feel pretty weird to draw naked people. It totally isn’t.

The first hour or so is filled with one, five, and ten minute poses. These are still my favorites – just warm ups. For some reason I’m able to get proportions down much better when I’m just scribbling away as fast as I can.

The next hour has a few fifteen or twenty minute poses.

Then there is at least one 40-60 minute pose with a break in the middle. I’m still frustrated with these but it’s a good thing. It shows I need to keep practicing. I have a wonderfully long way to go but am enjoying every step of the process. The sketch above is still one of the short poses – the long pose sketches are too naked and detailed. I’m choosing to keep the photos I post very G-rated because my children see the blog all the time. Yes, I know there is nothing wrong with a naked body and teach my children how beautiful our bodies are… but we need to respect them. Personally, I think that means being modest in public. 🙂 Well – off to another afternoon with my sketchbook and pens!