Helen

A fury stormed the battlements of Red Brick Mill. A life draining moaning as if Hades on his chariot of coal black horses were seeking retribution. We worked feverishly, solicitous of the ever booming sound. Helen the model was excellent . She ignored the gale outside and allowed us to lose ourselves and forget the end of the world was nigh'

Steve

We're in the season of mists and mellow fruitfullness and the sky turns to autumn slate very soon after arriving at life drawing. On go the spotlights and the model is bathed in honey coloured light. Great colour contrasts come to the fore and I get into my stride with the yellows, greens and purples. I realy enjoyed this session.

September Drawings

Fiona

Sorry folks. I haven't posted anything for a while. It's the start of term and there never seems to be enough time for anything apart from working and looking after the kids. You all know though that I love my weekly fix of Life drawing and Fiona is a fantastic model. I wrote the guest blog at Tom Wood tyepad so check it out for my longer ramblings. It's starting to come on a bit damp and nippy now so wrap up warm and maybe a little bit of whiskey in your tea may fight off Jack Frost. For any younger followers Strike that and add lemonade. YACK- lemonade and tea!

Saturday and Thursday Red Brick Mill

Two different sessions but a similar focus.

I am getting much more interested in the colour tonal juxtapositions and also seeing the figure as a form that can disolve into the background light.

Just thought I'd put up this cracker of a drawing by Hilary.

Fiona

I started off this session thinking I'd just use pastel as an underdrawing for some paint. Whether I just got lazy, I don't know, but I carried on to finish the whole thing in pastel. Check out Tomwood Artist Tyepad for some great Life Drawing.

Drypoint day

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A great day at Red Brick Mill. Printmaking requires a patient hand. That's not me. Tom realised that i'm better at a quick gestural approach. He suggested I use abuzzy electric thing-I've forgotten the name. It seemed to work. No jokes please about the quality of my cock.

Limes and plums. I really enjoyed some close colour analysis.

Tom

Bianca

Bianca is a great model with real poise and grace. I loved the angle on this pose and tried to get the feeling of weight leaning over the table. I hope I get a chance to paint her some day.

Cambridge Sketches

Lilly

Not as craggy as the geezer in the last post. Also fresher and more clearly seen I hope. Hoping to get this right one day.

Self Portrait

Colours are better in the piece. ithink I look abit sad. I wasn't when I was painting it.

Thursday therapy

I remember seeing a programme on tv about people who suffered from a rare condition in which they spasmed all the time. They were unable to carry out any normal tasks without great discomfort. However one lady could suspend this horror when she concentrated on playing the flute. The tremors ceased. Not that I'm comparing my stress in any way to their suffering but sometimes when I'm concentrating on a Life drawing the problems and worries of the day can disappear. I wonder whether this intense concentration can affect the neural connections and ease the mind. Krikey that was along winded way of saying it was a good session

Saturday Life Drawing

Red Brick Mills Life Drawing sessions are great and I do need my weekly fix. But at the moment I find myself ending up asking more questions than resolving an intention. I always like bits of my drawings and am frustrated at the lack of clarity in other parts. Finish is my big adversary.
I want to spend time developing something but can often lose the energy.I need some good advice or divine intervention.

Circular Tatoo

Thurs night Life Drawing again after a busy week. It felt like a real workout physically and mentally to get something down in a couple of hours.
The model who is an artist himself reminded me of a huge Silverback Gorilla and I wanted to capture this power. Maybe thats why there's some green in the background. He's spotted something in the jungle.

The Yaniws have enjoyed a much deserved break in Cornwall. Lilly tormented the crab population of Loo with a hook and line and we all lined our stomachs with pastry.

The weather was great and I got chance to do a bit of sketching. Nice to have that mental space before another long term. Unfortunately there were no erupting volcanoes to stop me from getting home.

Seeing Red

Drawing Steve on thurs night. What a great model. Holds a pose really well.
Steve was laying on a vivid red cloth. This created lovely reflected colours in the skin. However I find red a really tricky colour to use alongside other colours. It is such an emotive colour and can really dictate the personality of the piece. I had fun trying anyway.

Another Attempt

This copy I did before the ones below. It doesn't look anything like the original 'Portrait of a Young Man'. I think I over complicate things. But I think it's more me somehow. Does that make any sense?

Copies of Velazquez

My attempt at this Velasquez makes me appreciate just how much of a genius this man was.

But it's a great excercise for trying to understand the mark making.

Struggled a bit with this one on Thurs night. A bit tired and need to get some new glasses. It's lovely though having this session on a thurs night after getting back from looking after Mum in Donny. Do people get grumpier as they get older. Is that the kettle calling the pot black. Don't get my kids to answer that.

Lilly's Birthday-Sketches at Bradford Ice Rink

These are sketches that I did at Bradford Ice Rink whilst watching Lilly and her friends. Whilst I drew it struck me that the ice rink seemed to be a metaphor for life. There were people who desperately hung onto the side of the rink lacking the confidence to chance the open ice. Then there were children who teetered and wobbled and burst into fits of laughter, taking their first fledgling steps into the world. They coped with a little help from their friends. Darting in and about them were the exhibitionists who swooped and glided, turned and came to dramatic stops in front of the less confident skaters. They looked around them for affirmation of their amazing ability. Finally, there were those who just got on in a workaday way, skating with no great brovado, but just enjoying being there. Then there was me at the side, drawing and observing. What does that say about my connection with the world? Hope you like the sketches.

March 25th Life Drawing

Unusual for me not to be flinging paint around, but sometimes you just want to get back to basics.

Sketches from Venice