contour drawing with watercolor in a sketchbook
The timing is fine, and I like being able to drive during the day, but this class also has a couple frustrations for me. For one thing, most people are painting in oil, a medium that I am just learning. I did use oil one week, and liked the results well enough. It's just that I don't want oil paintings of people reclining in chairs. What do I DO with the darn things later? Also, instead of there being a series of poses, this is a three hour session with one pose. Every week someone reclines in the overstuffed chair, and sits there for the entire time. I understand that the model needs to be comfortable, but they also look bored, and I hate to admit it, but I am too.
ink and watercolor in my sketchbook
The way I have been trying to deal with this is by doing series of quick draws, some on paper in a medium-sized sketchbook, some on Tyvek, some on Arches watercolor paper. This time I even moved around a little to get a different vantage point, but the studio is rather crowded, and I don't want to disturb other people who are slaving over one painting.
charcoal and watercolor on Tyvek
Of these three, the last one is the one I worked longest on, and I like it least. It seems stiff, and perhaps a little long in the torso. My color choices weren't too exciting either. Looking at my efforts from Sunday and seeing what I've written makes me think I just need an attitude adjustment. Maybe I should just go out and pull crabgrass for a while.
4 comments:
Or maybe you do not really like figure drawing/painting?
I think your attitude is great! But don't force yourself to do something you do not like. Life is too short!
I found myself in a similarly structured class some years ago, when what I really wanted to learn was how to include individuals or groups in larger landscape or streetscape paintings... If I'd been able to 'imply' people as you have done, I think very successfully, in your first painting, it wouldn't have seemed like such a complete waste of time.
I applaud you making the effort, and trying oils!
I have had the same problems: I don't like a 3-hour pose (which is what the group down here does)--what if you get a bad angle? I suppose you could do 3 1-hour paintings, but then there's the boredom factor!
I prefer starting with 2-minute poses and gradually increasing to 20- or 30-minutes--I guess because, esp. w/watercolor, I like more spontaneity.
And yes, what does one do with all these stilted pictures of naked people! Just once I'd like to have a model climbing into a bathtub, a la Bonnard!
Of these, I have to say I find the first most intriguing!
It's too bad that the class isn't set up in a good way for you. I have also been frustrated with some of the classes I took this summer, and I wish there were a way to do more research before signing up. If I were you, I'd just continue to do the short poses as best you can. Next time I take a class, I think I am going to email the instructor/facilitator and ask questions before paying for it. Also, I am going to be very wary of signing up with instructors who don't have websites.
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