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Day 41
I’m getting behind in my assignments for the Russian class, so I watched Steve Huston’s Constructive Drawing class today and will do so until I get caught up. I still have to do the cadaver and all the cloths for the Russian class.
I finished up my pad of Newsprint today. Yay! I bought a roll of Newsprint, but I’ve never used it loose like that before. So, we’ll see, tomorrow, how that works out. Another thing I experimented with today was using a block of chalk for the one-minute gestures instead of vine charcoal. I had no idea or clue what I was doing, but it was so much fun!
Day 42
Yesterday I found another art influence: Tamara de Lempicka. I had never heard of her before, but as soon as Glenn put one of her paintings on the screen, my eyes widened. I stopped the video to go look her up. I even pre-ordered a new edition of a book on her, which comes out in December. Another artist I found during my time in New Masters Academy is Ilya Repin, whom Ilya mentioned in his class. So amazing. It’s so fun finding new inspirations!
Today’s work, after gestures, was continuing to work on the pre-Renaissance cast. This time I’m working from a photo instead of a 3D scan. I much prefer the scan. I just chose the photo just to mix things up. But I need to un-mix it, and go back to the 3D model next time. I’ve gotten spoiled!
Day 43
Today was crazy. So many errands! The day simply evaporated. But I did make time for a few gestures and some lesson-time.
Day 44
Today was dedicated to the work. My life is dedicated to the work, wherever it may lead. I read this quote in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way the other day. I thought it was amazing enough to save and share:
“An act of art needs time to mature. Judged early, it may be judged incorrectly. Never, ever judge fledgling piece of work too quickly. Be willing to paint or write badly while your ego yelps resistance. Your bad writing may be the syntactical breakdown necessary for a shift in your style. Your lousy painting may be pointing you in a new direction. Art needs time to incubate, to sprawl a little, to be ungainly and misshapen and finally emerge as itself. The ego hates this fact. The ego wants instant gratification and the addictive hit of an acknowledged win. The need to win – now! – is a need to win approval from others. As an antidote, we must learn to approve of ourselves. Showing up for the work is the win that matters.”
Today I showed up, fully and completely. So, today was a win – just as each of the last 44 days have been.
Day 45
I listened to Seth Godin’s new book (I think it’s new) The Practice. It has a similar message to Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, but it’s more specifically focused on “the practice” – doing the work without attachment. He distinguishes a professional not by money, but by the practice.
Today I finally started the Death Mask. I still feel kind of bad about drawing a dead guy, but it is what it is. Normally I’m trying to make drawings of people (even casts of people) look as alive as possible. So, this is different. That was one thing I had to keep working on with the Renaissance bust I just finished. At first, she looked too much like a girl. I had to focus on giving her “dead eyes” in order to convince myself that it was a bust. Mercifully, the eyes of the death mask are closed!
Day 46
Today I started with Glenn’s Dynamic Gesture Drawing class. The lesson involved a timed assignment-drawing for 20 minutes. Then I started on a self-portrait. I’m not sure yet whether I want to enter the contest, but I wanted to try the project as a painting anyway. I’ve only done two other self-portrait paintings, years ago. The first one was during my very first art class. It was not correct at all, but it was charming. Unfortunately, I got rid of it. The second was better, but I don’t have that one either – left behind during my last move. So, this one I get to keep! (maybe)
Day 47
I’m feeling a lot more comfortable doing gesture drawings now. I’m not sure that they’re any better, but I’m getting used to not “finishing” and just moving on. The cadaver drawing is in an ugly duckling stage right now. Having a full time day job means that I have to stop when I have to stop, no matter what. It’s good discipline, I think. I will work on the self-portrait on the weekend, when I don’t have time constraints. For me, pausing in the middle of a painting is a lot harder than pausing in the middle of a drawing.
Day 48
Today I woke up feeling bad. But art, and my spiritual practice, came to the rescue, as usual.
I got demoted at my day job, not because of anything bad that I did – in fact, I was recently rewarded for doing a great job. But, a lower level employee quit, and the person my boss is hiring is someone he already knew from the past, someone who has “years of experience,” someone he’s worked with before. And I’m a newer employee.
I was stoic upon hearing the news, but inside I was butt hurt. Interestingly, I felt similar when I didn’t do well in the art contest. I had one perception of my value, but it was quickly negated by the actions of someone else (or a panel of people). The butt-hurt pain is just ego-wounding. And I’m practiced in how to heal such things – I go within and re-connect with what matters. My art practice matters to me. My day job exists in my life to fund my practice.
Similarly, I don’t do art to win or place in contests. I do art because I can’t imagine not doing it. Opinions are opinions. Perception varies depending upon the lens of the perceiver. Some things I can control. Some things I can’t. What I can control is my practice. So, I showed up today to practice. And at the end, I felt tremendous.
Today’s sketches are from Steve Huston’s Constructive Drawing class.
Hola Raven. It’s great that art can make you good and have a sense a purpose at the end of the day. Despite the hurdles it brings, it’s always a thing to look forward to. Will be going through each of these pieces.
Pic 1-Watch your overall proportions. Head is a bit big. Observe closely how the head fits onto the neck and onto the torso itself. Be clear in the FORM (Sphere, Cylinder, Box) you choose to symbolize the torso. I’m at a loss at what it is. Reads as a bulging tube but the interior lines confuse me. Again! Think BIG SHAPES! Detail comes after. I assume that’s part of the upper leg coming from the hips. Be aware of the directions/thrusts they all go to. Have you been reading Hale’s book religiously? Also, that arm in the back, it is too long. Any reason why you extended it? It’s a common issue we all do. We try and show the other side. You see it portraits where the far eye is not in proper perspective. It’s as if we wanna show the viewer everything. Trust your eyes. Us as viewers will know what is back there and know instinctively its proportions and whatnot.
Pic 2, Figure on Right-I love the weight given off from the hips and the balance you created. Push that squash & stretch more, that contropossto. Of note to remember: From the Pubic Center to the Bottom of the Feet is THE SAME as Top of Head to Pubic Center. Your legs are a bit short.
Pic 3, Figure on Right-Head bit too big, arms bit too short. In light & shade, try to simplify and make clear your chosen shapes. Make a clear separation of light and dark. I know all to well how busy with info the waist area can be. Squint your eyes and look for big, clear planes. The left leg, yes, light was most likely lighting that area, but it could be toned down a bit more if not be in a large shadow mass for clarification sake. The right upper leg is a good example of what to aim for: simple form (cylinder), separate light/dark, throw in that single mass value for the shade.
Keep it up!
These were just 5 minute sketches, focused on shading. I didn’t really draw much of a head on most of them. But thanks for taking so much time on such extensive feedback!
Day 49
Today I listened to Steve Huston’s Landscape Drawing Crash Course. I love that class. I’m sure I’ll miss it when I’m done.
For my drawing time, I continued to work on my cadaver drawing. I should be done next session.
Day 50
Halfway through! Wow, time flies. Today was quite productive. I finished the cadaver and did a little work on my self-portrait. I will also finish my first class today – Steven Huston’s Landscape Crash Course. I’m looking forward to trying my hand at some cool landscapes. Because I love abstracts so much, I’ll probably abstract the landscape. Through working on the self-portrait, though, I’ve discovered how bad my brushes are. I was working on abstracts in acrylics for so long, my poor brushes have taken a beating.
I was on Glenn Vilpuu’s live stream class last night. From what he said, it confirmed my decision to downplay timed gestures and work more from imagination. So, I’ll still do gestures from time to time, but I’ll be focusing more on completed drawings and drawing from imagination.
Day 51
Today went by quickly, as all Sundays seem to. I finished my pipe fold cloth assignment and made a little progress on my self-portrait. I’m going to leave it in grisaille, since it looks moody. I put a halo behind me, like in the old religious portraits, but I think it looks more like a moon.
Day 52
Today I finished the diaper cloth assignment. I think I have 3 or 4 more cloth assignments in the Russian course. I can’t say I enjoy drawing only cloth, but I’m going to muster the discipline to finish each one. I’m still not sure if I’m going to enter my portrait in the monthly contest, but I will finish it, regardless. It’s all about the process and the practice, not the results. The results will take care of themselves, in time.
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