some from October

[macrobertson]

Charcoal & Conte 15 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4121.JPG

c/p 20 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4122.JPG

c/p 20 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4141.JPG

Charcoal & Conte 10 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4144.JPG

Charcoal & Conte 15 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4145.JPG

Conte 10 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4156.JPG

c/p 10 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4162.JPG

c/p 10 min A3
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4163.JPG

oil portrait approx 2 hours
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Oct-2011/14751-IMGP4133.JPG

oil portrait approx 100 mins
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/30-Oct-2011/14751-IMG_0108.JPG

Mac

[bethanyt]

These are superb for the time, Mac! I am amazed you can get such beautiful line, accurate proportions and convincing faces in a few minutes.
And those portraits! All I can say is WOW!

[kirants]

Wonderful collection, Mac. I like your bold treatment using powerful lines with a voice. They are like symphony.. delicate at places, bold and strong at others. A lot to learn and soak in here. Portraits are terrific too! Thanks for sharing.

[pathos]

The drawings and paintings are great. I am particularly interested in the charcoal/conte drawings that have a painted background. Just wondering what your procedure is.

[Journeyman]

As always Mac inspirational stuff :thumbsup: Apart from your trained eye what else do you bring to the session I would love to get a better understanding of what you are thinking about while drawing etc. Do you evaluate, gauge, compare, plumb, clock, measure. Whatever it is you do works. :wave: Dave

PS When I say what do you bring to the session I don’t mean what equipment :)

[macrobertson]

thanks Bethany, I find that different timed poses are a balancing act of getting the right amount of work in the time(for me). that second portrait was a bit of a challenge as in my position, looking into the light I found it hard to see what I was doing as there was no light on my palette or the painting. I have adjusted the colours in this photo to get a little closer to the actual colours,

Kiran... poetic language :D ... appreciated!

Kam I recycle a lot of my drawings, no set formula but usually a commercial acrylic undercoat to seal them, then mixtures of gesso, pastel primer and/or acrylic paint in a variety of fashions to hopefully have some happy experiments... then I use a variety of mediums on top as the mood takes, charcoal, Conte colour pencil, acrylic paint etc... sometimes they work, sometimes they don't!

Dave I take a large bag nowadays, with a range of Conte(type) pencils, charcoal and colour pencils, usually use the c/ps for everything up to 10 mins on different types of paper, then swap to Contes and things that require a little more working for the slightly longer poses, but occasionally bringing in acrylic paint or pastel pencils or Conte pastels and work slightly larger on different papers. No method or measuring, I just grab something and start drawing and take whatever comes, hardly ever move from my position.

Mac

[Indiana Kate]

You are so good. I have another "how do you do it" question. Do you start with line and then block in tone or do you put down tone first and then line, or do you move back and forth? The first and third most clearly illustrate why this questions comes up for me. On the third, it looks like you lift some too, especially on the thighs.

This is really a beautiful set, Mac.

Kate

[Journeyman]

No method or measuring, I just grab something and start drawing and take whatever comes, hardly ever move from my position.

Thanks Mac that’s exactly what I wanted to know. It really shows in both yours and Pauline’s wonderful work. Something very difficult to pull of but absolutely stunning once you can. :thumbsup: Dave

[wandathefish]

thanks for continually setting the bar and giving us something to aspire to. Love the woman's oil portrait, such a natural pose.

[lovin art]

She WOLF WHISTLES ~~~ Hey Good looking:D Opps--:o I mean looking good there Mr Mac , UMM HUMM I mean Sir Mac !:D

you know how to hone done on what counts and you seem to only show what counts , I see such greatness here , but then its not hard with a great artist !

[Descartes]

Super sensitive drawings Mac. I like the simple two colour palettes you've used in the portraits particularly the last.

[Lauren F-M]

What a pleasure to view your work, Mac! :clap:

I too am intrigued by the drawings that have the paint underneath. I'm a bit unclear on the paint, though. I had figured that you put a coat of paint on the paper for the tinted surface and new texture to draw on, but you mentioned that you recycle paper, so are you painting to cover up what's underneath? :confused: No matter, the finished effect is wonderful!

I think #2 and #4 of the figure drawings are my faves, and I think both of the portraits are wonderful! :thumbsup: I also get what you mean about the frustration of doing a portrait with the light glaring at you... that happens sometimes with our portrait group. Lighting the model is always a challenge.

All the best with your upcoming group show! :clap:

[macrobertson]

Kate I don't really have a set formula in mind when I arrive, I usually take a large variety of materials and most things are spur of the moment decisions, though I usually use colour pencil for poses up to 10 minutes and I find that the paper surface and type of pencils also has a bearing on my approach. Sometimes I'll draw a loose shadow shape with the side of the pencil, sometimes a light loose sense of the shape and proportions and nearly always establish the head first...and quite often find I haven't left enough room for the feet... or haven't positioned the figure in the right place :rolleyes:
Yes I'll use an eraser, doesn't really work with colour pencil but is necessary with some of the softer mediums especially in trying to get highlights without muddiness!

Dave yes as I mentioned above, rapid starting and no measuring can lead me into unwanted drawings sometimes :rolleyes:

thanks Wanda it's nice to know that. The woman was a great subject!

not sure about the greatness part Sandra... but thanks for the wolf whistle :D

thanks Nathan

Lauren I recycle a lot of the drawings to save on paper and because it is often a better and more interesting surface 2nd/3rd time round, but I also prepare paper for the initial drawings too... sometimes with shellac... watercolour wash for pencil/Conte or u/coat, gesso pastel primer for optional drawing or painting.
I actually like drawing and painting into the light and choose that option at life drawing. the problem with the portrait was that there was no light behind me (or rather that some of the group had requested that some of the overhead lights be turned off)... and I couldn't really make out what I was doing and could only work out my colours when I held the palette into the light... but I said yes because I think its good practice to work under difficulty:rolleyes:

I'll put in a report of the show!

Mac

[Lauren F-M]

I'll put in a report of the show!

:thumbsup:

Also -- I think your recycling approach to paper is inspiring me to re-use some old stuff of my own.... like loads of old lithographs I did back in artschool. Pondering what to do.... :rolleyes: Thanks for the great ideas! :clap:

[roy-p]

Another sturdy, no-nonsense set of drawings and paintings :thumbsup: . I like how you cut out the embellishments and stick to the core element of describing what you see, and that in itself imparts a stark elegance to your work.

[ArtofAndrewDaniel]

What a tender touch you have!

[macrobertson]

Prosenjit yes well I'm glad none of the nonsense stuff got in here :p

Andrew thanks for that thought!

Mac

[Julianne]

Mac! :wave: Just dropped in for a quick peek - wonderful work, esp the portraits - you keep going from strength to strength, getting bolder and bolder.

[macrobertson]

Julianne thanks for dropping in :) I think things are just starting to move now... and I'm about to get back to plein air as well... will be doing a two week workshop with John Wilson in the mountains early next year

Mav

[Julianne]

Hi Mac, always great to see what you're up to! :)

Two weeks plein air in the blueys sounds great! When is it? chances are I might be around.. hmmmmm...... ;)