Two models this week

We were lucky enough to have two models this week. These are ten minute sketches. We often get 20 minute poses but I tend to do two drawings quite often. I'm looking for some alternative drawing materials - today I bought two Conte pencils, one H and the other B, and will try for some more contrasting edges, hard edges and smudgy ones - I don't often smudge but have seen some interesting results in the class so am keen to try.

We had twin lambs born to our one and only sheep a few weeks ago and they're gorgeous. I took a little video of them with the camera and tried to upload it using blogger's new video feature but haven't succeeded as yet, so I've put up a picture of the lambs just born. We've also got two calves as well. My son has been bottle feeding them and today successfully got them to drink out of buckets. Spring seems to have arrived, trees sprouting leaves, daffodils springing up, lots of birds around - we even had two native wood pigeons fly in and hang out for a while. There is a hawk hunting that tends to upset birds nesting in the paddocks but it's beautiful to see it soaring over.

Waitete Sunset painting

is progressing little by little. This is where I'm up to.

The Scribbler

A fun way to waste time (thanks, Denise!). http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/

Drawings

Here are a few life drawings from the last couple of weeks. The landscape type drawing was from a 20 minute pose with the model lying on her stomach with her head supported by her hands, it took about 10 minutes then I did a couple of 5 minute drawings in more realistic manner. Most of these are drawn with compressed charcoal. The male front/back torso is also compressed charcoals/conte and I've painted it with an acrylic glaze which sealed it and painted the negative space. The model in the quick charcoal sketch is not pregnant ... looks a bit that way!

Faces

I've done so much drawing in recent weeks and not a lot of painting. Though I have a few on the go they're not progressing, so I've gone off on a tangent. Usually I work on an idea or theme, plan, do a couple of little thumbnail sketches, and try to produce (reproduce) my planned image. But I get to a point where I'm stuck. A bit like writer's block. I wonder if there's a term for artist's block, maybe that's it. Anyway, Here's a photo of the tangent - a tiny bit of collage and continuing with paint. When I get some more canvases this size I might create a few - I'm not sure who/what she is at the moment. It's something to do with the writing on the wall in the collaged cheek and ear. It'll come to me soon.

This week's life drawing

A couple of quick 2 minute poses and the other poses were either 20 0r 30 minutes long. I'd have liked to draw her hands while the model was lying on her back but ran out of time and didn't get them finished.