Male Studies

Ciao a tutti.

You will notice that a lot of my studies will be in sanguine conte' which is basically akin to a hard pastel.  I like the feel of it and can control it fairly easily.

These are studies of males from my Thursday group.  The moderator is very good at hiring a variety of models, both male and female.  Both models here are equally good, but two very different body types.

I still struggle with correct anatomical rendering, but I am working on it.

These studies were actually done with different time constraints, from fifteen minutes to over an hour.  I always try to get as much as I can out of these sessions, as male models don't seem to be as abundant as female ones.

Please feel free to comment or leave constructive criticism.

Ciao,

Michael

Portraiture

Ciao a tutti.
One could make the arguement that the study of the figure and the study of the human head can be two separate and lifelong endeavors.  I love portraits, but I have difficulty capturing a likeness from my subject most times. 
This is one of those rare occasions that I felt I was on the mark.  The model was a lovely young  African-American lady with striking features.  I often find myself going towards a formula when drawing a head, and usually the results are disatrous.  I decided to go a different way here, and focus on copying the shape and placement of shadows, which proved to be a technique I have decided to stick with.  This was only a twenty minute drawing.
I have a session coming up this Thursday, so we will see how that goes...
Ciao

Beginning The Journey

Ciao a tutti. (Hello, everyone)

For several years, I have embarked on the journey to understand and discover the figure. I have some formal training in art in general, but I have had to find my own way in understanding specifically the figure and how it works.

I will be displaying several of my endeavors on this blog, both successful and otherwise. I feel that in order to learn something, it is best to learn through errors. We cannot truly find the answer unless we exhaust all possibilities, which is what a mistake does for us. (That's my take on it, anyway...)

So, here are a couple of images that I have created in one of several figure drawing sessions I attend frequently. They are not led by an instructor per se, just a moderator who sets the pace and tone for the evening (lighting, type of pose, and length of pose). These are done in conte', the first being two 3-minute gestures, the next being a 20 minute study.

Ciao