Themed monthly photoshoot always available to both tier patrons.
This month, I'm playing into the beautiful black and yellow ochre golden tones of the halloween holiday with this period interpretation of the common witch.
Chapter One of this reference coming up!
Next up! 1700's scullery maid, colonial house maid, or country servant, or other context of choice, taking a break with a good book.
Chapter One - uploading in full, Monday - includes standing, seated, reclining, and sequential action poses in character, for figurative reference.
Chapter TWO coming the following week will feature additional settings, gesture poses, portrait shots, and prop/costume details.
One big batch for this month coming later today!
Full figurative reference available to all tier patrons.
See you soon!
We're just gone halfway through this series!
Just as a recap: for my usual 3x5 Friday (see #3x5Friday) quick warm up figure gesture sketches, I have given it a summer twist with this Summer Figure Study Invitational theme (see #summerfigurestudyinvitational).
Here and on Instagram, I'm opening up my warm up practice to you with a short summer long series, where I look at various other figurative artists who inspire me, and reinterpret their work.
I'm still editing these reference batches for this month's tier one theme, but they are on their way, for Chapter One!
It's been a while since I offered classic and fundamental reference for these loved and loathed appendages. Hands and feet can be challenging, I know, so all the more reason to practice them!
Coming up next.
You might notice two different set-ups here, so allow me to explain.
I shot the Chapter One batch without realizing that some of the photos were taken with the wrong camera lens, and in the editing process realized the images, although great poses, were of too poor a quality to really use.
So, some of the reclining poses from Chapter one I've included here, because the light and shadow shapes within the figure are still useful, particularly if you're working on seeing shap...
In lieu of a live figure session, you can consider these of the classic opening set of short poses, gestures, in dynamic full-figure format, for those warm-ups we need to do when setting down to a fresh batch of drawing.
Today's grouping of reference includes standing, or upright, compositions. In Part Two of this selection of nude figure reference, come back first week of July for kneeling, seated, reclining, upside down, and rotational contrapposto poses,
2022-06-28 01:45:48 +0000 UTC
View Post
For tier TWO patrons, the next installment of classic and dynamic full figure nude gestures and poses for figurative artists is around the corner!
Check back here tomorrow for the latest batch.
This is a space for supportive and respectful artistic development, no abuse of my work as a life model will be tolerated. And no requests for pornographic content will be entertained. Thank you for your professionalism & understanding.
As...
I'm working away from home for over a week again, and as I sat down to my wee 3x5" gestural figure sketchbook here, to reconnect with the body and the page, and the graphite, I wanted to portray another strong and autonomous female figure. It was a simple warm up, but also a statement of devotion to the integrity and beauty inherent in the human form, in the humanity we strive to uphold, in the respect and honor for the body that is entirely right, should we chose to understand that universal...
2022-06-25 01:08:30 +0000 UTC View Post
In the making of this reference, my phone and all it's most recent imagery and photo documentation was fried by a bad outlet connection overnight, beside my other technical difficulty, so I want to thank you all for your patience in the bringing of this month's themes about. I'll be re-shooting for the Tier TWO patrons, as all that content was lost.
This week's chapter, or first batch of reference, is a back-lit figure featuring the picnic or beach-themed setting. With an off-white gro...
Coming up, Chapter One of Two for June's all-patron-access contemporary sun-bathing back-lit figure!
Coming Monday.
It was a hot one today where I live, and with the onset of early summer showing up with some bright days, I was thinking of some freeing exposure by the waves.
"Sun's out, tits out..."
Looking forward to summer beach days!
And on that note, this month's reference theme is sun-bathing. I'll be sharing the traditional sneak peek next, followed by the first Chapter batch.
Here's to the weekend!
2022-06-18 01:48:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Another QUICK warm up sample for the figurative in graphite, at 3x5".
My favorite parton this one is the suggestion of the face, which is the second attempt after I did too small of a head.
When you fuck up, learn the lesson and redo it. Don't be precious!
---
2022-06-11 02:10:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Not quite half way through this wee sketchbook for figurative warm ups!
This warm up sketch is a classic example of my QUICK handling for a gesture study, aiming simply at full figure form.
This is strictly done in a flat 2B graphite pencil, to keep things simple. Limits are best for gesture, speed, and imediacy of response on the page.
NEW month! JUNE will feature the usual monthly all tier access themed photoshoot, as well as the next Tier Two instal...
2022-06-04 03:26:52 +0000 UTC View Post
Our second installment on the walled garden theme here includes variations on the bust and portrait postures/gestures, in the shifting natural light.
Despite the shade and the overcast, there are plenty of opportunities for heat in the color palette. Notice the hot green and warm skin, where the light is infusing the environment and figure with the brighter chroma from the temperature shifts.
Temperature can be a beautiful narrative in a piece, even with limited or monochrom...
2022-05-31 02:42:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Chapter TWO coming in a few days!
The natural light of shifting sun through cloud-cover was a beautiful inspiration against the lush Spring growth of roses and other walled garden vines... In this green theme, there is opportunity for a monochrome palette OR playing in limited color palette themes, for colorists.
Notice the sun-gold warm tones playing between the wall and the skin, and the rose tones subtly balancing the cooler greens and blues.
A contemporary secret garden...
2022-05-28 04:03:06 +0000 UTC View Post
I made a real-time process demo video of the making of this study, which I will upload if I can figure out how to do so with such a large file...
These kinds of gestural studies are really simple, in that my mark-making is quite stream-lined. There are a handful of marks I use, and I repeat them throughout the building process, to do all the things for balancing value, contour, structure in the way I want to.
The biggest takeaway here I thinkis really to notice how much comes from...
2022-05-28 00:53:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Coming up, Chapter One of Two for May's all-patron-access contemporary figurative reference in natural outdoor light!
2022-05-21 04:12:37 +0000 UTC View Post
QUICK little figure sketch from my 3x5" sketchbook, every Friday evening.
As this mini series is from a book meant for fun, simple warm-ups and playful practice.
Please forgive my poor quality upload tonight, I am away from home all week, without my scanning abilities. I will update this post with a betterimage of the sand gesture study next week.
Here I am really enjoying this simplifying stylization, amping up the dynamic between soft gestural mark making and ha...
2022-05-21 02:54:38 +0000 UTC View Post
QUICK little figure sketch from my 3x5" sketchbook, every Friday evening.
As this mini series is from a book meant for fun, simple warm-ups and playful practice, themed to female diversity in the expressive anatomy study, it's really all about brief captures of female identifying form as a beautiful, natural, and multifaceted spectrum. I've got athletic, classical, ground-breaking, and unconventional body types throughout, and I plan to explore more variety. Th...
2022-05-14 01:40:28 +0000 UTC View Post
This Friday I'm sharing a mini study I did from a recent LIVE figure drawing session!
It's been a little bit, friends.
You can see the official long pose graphite study based on this QUICK mini gesture, rendered at the 6x8" scale, in the post Live Figure Study Sample here.
I talk briefly about my process, the simple method for how it was made, and show both this mini quickie and the full...
2022-05-07 01:33:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Last week I was able to visit a new local figure session group at the college, and it had been such a long while, it was fun and fresh to work from the life reference of a different model!
I'm sharing this session with you to see an example of how I go about working out a figure study from life within a short, timed sitting.
First I started by doing a small, quick sketch to get a feel for the pose {going up as this week's 3x5 Friday post!}
2022-05-07 01:17:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
Completing out this double page frame format with this wee figure on the right hand side in my usual 2 & 4B flat graphite pencils!
Keeping it simple and tonal this week, to echo what was going on in the left hand side of the spread, and to go with the playful geometric shapes in the more acrobatic postures of the forms.
Next 3x5 Friday I'll be sharing a mini study I did from a recent LIVE figure drawing session! Bonus post for patrons to follow!
<... 2022-04-30 02:05:31 +0000 UTC View Post
Our final chapter for this month's reference theme is now available! Included are a range of standing full figure and environment poses as well as bust and portrait detail shots.
To recap from Chapter One's introduction (in case you missed it):
In Celtic myth, Brigid (or Bríg) is a personification of these creative forces, associated with Spring, and is traditionally a goddess or a saint (depending on your cultural perspective) that stirs life up again. ...
2022-04-26 04:02:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Next month for May I'll be doing another 31 days of imaginative fantasy figure sketches for my third season of an annual side project of mine called Mermaids - more on that to be shared here to come - and so I'm preparing for increasing expressive and dancerly/acrobatic anatomical work...hence, the forearm stand study here.
There are no true straight lines in the body, but the body as a dynamic whole can create some unique and bold shapes reminiscent of the strong iconography o...
2022-04-23 01:28:34 +0000 UTC View Post
I love Spring. At this early stage, water and earth thaw and warm, able to move and be softer again under foot. The wee buds of leaves and bulbs come up and out, and the infant traces of fresh growth tenderize the old bareness of the landscape.
In Celtic myth, Brigid (or Bríg) is a personification of these creative forces, associated with Spring, and is traditionally a goddess or a saint (depending on your cultural perspective) that stirs life up agai...
2022-04-19 12:54:35 +0000 UTC View Post
It's been a crazy day so I'm going to have to upload Chapter One of this month's figurative reference theme tomorrow morning {Tuesday April 19th}.
Full content only for patrons! Or follow for free for more of the ocassional previews like this.
Until tomorrow!
2022-04-19 03:14:53 +0000 UTC View Post
Nude graphite figure study #25, in the 3x5" sketchbook.
I settled into this one a bit more, slowly marking in swathes of shadow shape and using value as my tool to create a sense of depth here, playing with the perception of dimension and clarity.
I am pleased with the deep shadow graphics of fingers on her upper arm, head shadow on the upper chest, and under the breast tissue.
Fun shapes!
Chapter ONE of two for our April photoshoot reference theme uploadi...
2022-04-16 00:57:59 +0000 UTC View Post
Using March's themed figure reference as an inspiration, I've put up this simple color comp demo to better show an example of how temperature shifts throughout the body, as a visual and mood-based interest within paintings. If I were to push this study or take this to a full painting, I could exaggerate the diagonal division of warm vs cool in the flesh tones into the negative space more, creating a more atmospheric and mood-driven piece.
I did a light pencil sketch fre...
2022-04-12 02:01:40 +0000 UTC View Post
QUICK figure study #24, in the 3x5" sketchbook.
Sometimes it is most gratifying just keeping your time limited and knocking out something simple but intentional.
I like to use line weight variation to indicate a sense of depth & dimension, as well as to prioritize certain aspects of the figure.
Experiment if you haven't already in how line weight variation can do the heavy-lifting for you!
Color/temperature study demo next for patron...
2022-04-09 02:28:52 +0000 UTC View Post