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