Tag Archives: figure drawing Bruges

Figure Drawing, December 23, 2019

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The model tonight was a lady named Angie. I scrawled her name across one of my drawings so I would not forget it. She is a large, jolly lady who I enjoy drawing. She takes good poses and seems to know intuitively what would be interesting for those of us on the other side. Below, two pastels on tinted Canson pastel paper and five charcoals on tinted sketching paper.

These drawings are posted much later than usual. They were done just before we departed Bruges for a three month trip – which became five due to the travel restrictions of the covid virus.

 

Conté crayon on tinted Canson paper, 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Conté crayon on tinted Canson paper, 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Charcoal on tinted sketching paper, 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Charcoal on tinted sketching paper, 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Charcoal on tinted sketching paper, 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Charcoal on tinted sketching paper, 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

 

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Figure Drawing, September 23, 2019

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The model tonight was a regular but one I have not seen for awhile. She’s a good model who takes interesting poses and holds them well. I had more success drawing her on the sepia toned paper than on the gris fumé. That’s how it goes sometimes.

What’s interesting in the spotlighted drawing here is that it is similar to the other one on sepia paper – but different: both were fifteen minute poses; in both the figure was well placed in the center of the page; was traced out in umber; and both had the flesh toned highlights of yellow and peach. But in the case of the highlighted one I had a minute extra to add some deeper shadows and extreme highlights. It really works. It pops.

Three fifteen minute poses. Conté pencil and crayon on Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Two four minute gesture drawings. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.5 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing September 16, 2019

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We had a new model tonight – which is to say this was her first time modeling for a figure drawing session. She did very well: took interesting poses and held them; plus she had a muscular body that was interesting to draw. For some reason I had more success with the longer poses tonight.I like the spotlighted one because she arched her back for that and I was able to capture some aspect of the arch. Plus I had enough time to add a few white highlights – which always makes the drawing pop.

Here below four fifteen minute poses. Conté pencil and crayon on Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

And one four minute gesture drawing. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing September 2, 2019

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One of our regulars tonight: a venusian, pear-shaped girl, thick buttocks and thighs, slim upper body, pointed breasts, beautifully featured face, voluptuous thick, brunette hair. For sketching her in I decided to try out a very warm pastel chalk tonight. It is deep red, which on gray paper became almost fluorescent (!). Wow.

I’ve selected the reclining fifteen minute pose as the featured image for a couple of reasons. One, usually I groan internally when a model takes the “egg” pose because I find it so uninteresting to draw. But last night, by stretching out her arms alongside her body, one fore, one aft, the pose became quite interesting. Secondly, after sketching her out in fuchsia red with peach and antique lemon highlights, I found I still had a few minutes to add some umber shadow and white highlights. The result, I find, is interesting, almost abstract: figurative and chromatic simultaneously.

Here below are five fifteen minute poses. Conté pencil and crayon on Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

And four of the four minute gesture poses. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

 

Figure Drawing, June 17, 2019

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Our model tonight was an old favorite, Melissa: the lady who disrobes but retains her glasses. She has an interesting hourglass shape, thin above, thick below. I tried a few drawings on gray paper with sepia chalk but they weren’t taking off. Then, when I switched to sepia paper with burnt umber chalk, they did. Sometimes you just have to switch it up. The featured image here above works, I think, because there is both form and light: there are highlights (and super high lights), mid-tones and shadows.

Below three fifteen minute poses. Conté pencil and crayon on Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Two four minute studies. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing April 8, 2019

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Tonight, one of our regulars, Lisa, the lady with glasses.

A few turned out well tonight, or shall I say, more keepers than last week. One more week of jet-lag under may belt. My feet were less numb, my body, in general, more responsive. Below, three fifteen minute and four four minute poses.

Of the three fifteen minute poses, the spotlighted one is my favorite. This one is interesting (I think) because it includes five different colors: charcoal black for laying in the figure, pastel yellow and pink for the highlights, sienna to accent the warm bodily midtones, and umber for the shadows. Not bad for fifteen minutes. If I had had a few more, I would have added in some white highlights. Can’t do everything.

Conté pencil and crayon on tinted pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Four four minute poses. Charcoal on toned sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm. or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing, October 2, 2018

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The model tonight was a large, overweight woman. I find these kinds of bodies really exciting to draw. There is a massive quality to the form, weighted, earthy, the groundedness stimulates the muladhara chakra. So here below, the evening’s catch.

On the fifteen minute poses, I think the most successful are those in which I had the time to add in a few touches of extreme highlight. These white highlights do not need to be many, but they function in important ways to set the dynamic range. But these extreme highlights can only be correctly placed after I have already set the figure and begun to suggest some of the chromatic values on the toned paper: there is not always enough time for all that in fifteen minutes.

Four fifteen minutes poses: Conté crayon on toned Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm. Or 13 x 19.75 in.

Three four minute studies: Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm. or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing, September 24, 2018

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Our model tonight, Lisa. She is one of our regulars. Turns out, she works as a nurse and the days that she models for us are long days since she has to get up at 4:30 to get to work(!). We had a nice chat at the break as she puffed on her electronic cigarette. Here below a few fifteen minute poses and some four minute ones, too.

Fifteen minute poses.Conte crayon on tinted Canson pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm. or 13 x 19.75 in.

Four minute poses. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm. or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

 

Figure Drawing, September 17, 2018

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Tonight, with Eva, one of our regulars, the Indian girl (whose skin color I find challenging). But this time, she had a more challenging night than I and was a little dizzy during some of her poses. So we all had to slow down and adjust, to accommodate her situation. It’s just like that sometimes. We are no slave drivers (thankfully so). And yet some figure drawing session organizers can be more stern and unforgiving. But certainly not Bruno. So we had a nice chat at the break as she gobbled down a quick snack to help balance her energies. Hope you feel better, Eva!

Two fifteen minute poses. Conté crayon on tinted Canson pastel drawing paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Three four minute studies. Black charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.

Figure Drawing, September 3, 2018

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The model tonight was fantastic. The second time I remember drawing him. He’s really good because he seems to know intuitively what to do. However, even though the model can be fantastic and I resonate with him/her, I can still have a mediocre evening. Tonight was that way, principally, I think due to my own state, as I was not feeling very well. Even in such cases, it’s always good to go out and try, and see what happens.

Two fifteen minute poses. Conté crayon on Canson tinted pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19.75 in.

Four four minute sketches. Charcoal on tinted sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm or 13.75 x 19.75 in.