Sunday open drawing

I'm getting into a routine of open drawing on Sunday morning.  I like it a lot.  I almost wish I could stay on for the next session at 1 -- but I have Toby.  I saw my teacher for the intensive next week.  He knows I've enrolled.  I'm trying to look forward.  I know he'll be completely prepared for a great week.

Sunday drawing goes to this schedule each time: 10 x 1 and 3 x 5; 3 x 10; 15 and 20; 20; and then 1 for whatever time is left, usually 15 to 20 minutes.  That means we do 20 drawings each week.  Here are some from today.

Who's the leader of the club?

Toby has reached the terrible twos -- or that's what I call it.  He's 8 months old which is when dog adolescence starts -- and lasts until 2 years old!  He sure has a mind of his own.  He knows what he wants.  Like the route during walks.  I can't let him dictate since I'm meant to be the LEADER!  (I've been watching the Dog Whisperer on TV and reading his books.)  For the same reason I must not let him bite me and I don't.  I think the biting is tapering off.  Bedtime can be pretty calm now.  He was at the groomer this week and his coat is so soft.  I'm trying to start a brushing routine to keep it that way.

Toby is much cuter in person!

I often find myself singing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song as we walk.  That's the 1950s version with Annette Funicello.  I know all the words.  It begins "Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?"  The answer is, of course, Mickey Mouse.  LEADER is the key word for our walks.

Skeletal gestures

Drawing class was interesting this week.  We started like always with a blind contour drawing and then some short gestures.  Then the teacher taught us about the skeleton and how it relates to drawing.  The "landmarks" we can use to make the drawing believable and in proportion.  It was a good class and I'm sorry to miss next week for the life drawing intensive.  Perhaps I won't miss it.  Maybe I'll do both on Thursday.  See how the week goes.  Below are a few of my drawings from class.

 

Open Drawing

Here are a few drawings from this weekend.  I don't have anything to show for last week's life drawing class.  We're only drawing gestures and mine are awful.  The teacher stresses how difficult gestures are to do.  Good thing I go to open drawing to remember that I can draw a bit.  I'm signed up for a Life Drawing intensive week as well.

Open Drawing

I went to life drawing again this Sunday morning.  It's a good time for me and I hope to continue regularly.  It's the best thing for practice.  Here's a few from today.

Summer life drawing

I'm taking an 8 week life drawing course this summer just to keep up the practice.  Once again the teacher's approach is different -- but I like that.  I like getting different suggestions and methods.  We began the first day by doing a 15 minute drawing.  We did one at the end of the class as well.  The teacher collected these to show us at the end of the term.  For the rest of the time we did very fast gestures beginning with 1 SECOND poses.  Here is one example of a page covered in many one second gestures.

For the second class we had a different teacher who taught us proportion.  I've had him before and still have the knitting needles I used to measure sizes and angles.  It's tricky to do and so easy to get confused.  Here are my first and fourth (last) drawings from that class.



Sunday open drawing

I finally made it to Sunday open drawing.  I used to think I couldn't be down there for 10 on a Sunday morning but now that I'm up at 5 there's no problem!  I stayed until the end which I've never done before.  The session is 30 minutes shorter than the usual but there is no long break which I prefer.  Here are some of my drawings.

Toby has a sick day

Toby was sick last week with diarrhea -- a word I would have been reluctant to speak out loud in the past.  Now I think about and discuss the most intimate details of my dog.  We had to go to the vet and thank goodness for pet insurance.  Or was the over the top treatment plan BECAUSE I had insurance?  Never mind, I'm glad to show a different level of care to Toby.  I well remember the Victoria Day when I was about 10 when I managed to speak that word to my mother and her only response was to say, "That's too bad."

I decided we'd sleep in the living room in case of multiple accidents during the night (though there were none).  I brought out a quilt for me to use on the couch.  When it was temporarily in the chair Toby jumped up and made himself a nest.  There he was peeking over at me.  Of course he had the blanket for the night.

One long pose

The Sunday afternoon open drawing is one long pose.  I went for the first time yesterday to do my extra assignment for drawing class.  I was trying for changes in mood, media, atmosphere and etc.  This is what I came up with.  I was not that pleased at the time with what I did.  I need 4 to show the teacher later this week.

Final sculpture class

At our last sculpture class we presented our masks and our extra sculpture (Canine Orchid).  Then we spent the afternoon at the Beaches to make up for a missed class.  There we posed in our masks in various places.  The teacher took photos.  Then she asked us to make a sculpture in place, something that would alter the landscape.  We decided to add stones to a buried tree trunk to simulate branches and roots.