week three already

**macrobertson** · #1 02-18-2005, 05:08 AM

it doesn't take long does it, now back to some tuesday and a thursday night drawing, although tuesdays are under a cloud at the moment.
a ten minute A3 graphite

a 15 minute A3 graphite

a 20 minute A2 conte

a 15 minute A2 charcoal, trying the method that mark malone was discussing in the portrait forum.

and a 30 minute conte approx 22 x 15

sorry about the usual washed out digital images.

Mac

ArtistOz · #2 02-18-2005, 07:03 AM

Looking good Mac, the charcoal one worked out all right, like the idea. Got an unusual viewpoint with the legs, rare opportunity. Got to work on glasses now lol.

Looks like you're seeing a lot of subtlety in the forms I'd keep working on values and use colour sparingly until later in the year.

DanaT · #3 02-18-2005, 07:45 AM

Where does the time fly? Glad to see you going full swing now mac.

The first, third, and the last are my favs.

rn2952 · #4 02-18-2005, 08:43 AM

Goodmornig Mac I personly like the 2 conte drawings On the 1st conte realy like the pose what was the light sourse? Ron

JamieWG · #5 02-18-2005, 08:48 AM

Mac, I enjoy all of these. I especially like the first because I know first-hand how tough that particular forshortened angle is to do! I don't know how you managed this one in ten minutes with the amount of form shading you got in there too, but I'm impressed!

Nice job on that last Conte. Whew! You must have been kickin' dust!

Jamie

Ikneadaneraser · #6 02-18-2005, 11:22 AM

mac! As usual wonderfully 'real' people! Kudos!

Maryem · #7 02-18-2005, 03:59 PM

I like them all too, but #3 is my favourite, it really glows.

I can't quite believe you can produce work so good in such a short time!

Mary

**macrobertson** · #8 02-18-2005, 04:21 PM

thanks Bill, Mark mentioned that very heavy paper works for this technique, I'd been using cheaper paper before and had difficulty erasing, but with the better quality paper the charcoal seemed to 'float' around and erased much better.
This year I do want to step up a grade with the graphite and charcoal as well as colour.
And glasses! 15 minutes came up too quick and I had been wondering whether to put in the glasses and only made a suggestion of them.

thanks Dana, there is a noticeable difference in doing it regularly or only occasionally, it's a good argument for doing some drawing every day.

Ron thanks, on the first conte, small room, there was one overhead fluero and a lamp with two lights on it at the left hand side...and virtually no light on my paper! The second one, very large room, a lot of high dull flueros and one large light shining from the left, behind the model and almost toward my eyes.

thanks Jamie, actually the dust raising action packed one was the charcoal! 30 minutes seems such a long time that I tend to take things a lot more calmly

I bought some new leads for my clutch pencils, when everything is working well with the graphites I find them good for the quicker poses... there wasn't time for the bits I cropped though!

Ikneadaneraser thanks, thats part of the challenge... to retain the life.

Mac

mark malone · #9 02-18-2005, 04:30 PM

They are all great mac....but I have got to be biased here and go for the charcoal reduction......you have captured a real sense of weight, and the crisp thin line is lovely good work!!!!!
But how did you enjoy working this way?? Are you going to keep at it??
What ever your choice have fun!
Mark.

**macrobertson** · #10 02-18-2005, 04:49 PM

thanks Mary, the glow may be a bit of an illusion due to the camera's inability to pretend it is a high quality one

... I'll post a scan of what may be closer to the real colours

thanks for commenting Mark, I have tried this approach before but found that the charcoal would embed itself into the paper and would not erase very well, and the drawings were always dark and lacking light. I found here that the charcoal seem to float and almost move around with vigorous erasing and a brand new hard eraser produced whiter highlights. I actually enjoyed this... wasn't embarrased by the thumping on my board... and will certainly be taking this further

maybe even get some expensive paper!

Mac

**jjackm** · #11 02-18-2005, 07:10 PM

I think the scan is even better. I thought the glasses looked pretty good too. I would put the glasses in and leave the eyes out myself. ;o) Good work Mac.

Huwitt · #12 02-19-2005, 07:50 AM

They are all beautiful as usual Mac. When I first viewed the third drawing with the conté, I thought it would improve by smudging the boundary between the white and the background above the figure a bit, softening the transition and making the contour of this white area compete less with the contour of the figure. But seeing it being less white in the new scan you provided, I changed my mind.

Hugo

DanaT · #13 02-19-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macrobertson

thanks Mary, the glow may be a bit of an illusion due to the camera's inability to pretend it is a high quality one

... I'll post a scan of what may be closer to the real colours

thanks for commenting Mark, I have tried this approach before but found that the charcoal would embed itself into the paper and would not erase very well, and the drawings were always dark and lacking light. I found here that the charcoal seem to float and almost move around with vigorous erasing and a brand new hard eraser produced whiter highlights. I actually enjoyed this... wasn't embarrased by the thumping on my board... and will certainly be taking this further

maybe even get some expensive paper!

Mac

ah, mac I really like the colors in the close up. I would love to do drawing everyday. I had grandiose plans of going to the free life drawing session after work everyday but real life and work intervenes.

The charcoal reduction pose was the first way my teacher taught us values. It was great but hard to get the midtones good unless we had a lot of time.

**macrobertson** · #14 02-19-2005, 04:43 PM

thanks Jack, it's a dilema, choosing between a full photo or part scan,
glasses seem to totally change the look of a face, but they are like fingers and toes... usually left till the end!

thanks Hugo, always appreciate your comments... adding a new angle is a bit like changing the goalposts

Dana

Quote:

I would love to do drawing everyday. but real life and work intervenes.

I think we just about all have this problem... except Barry

This is why I treasure my two nights a week when I can, even if they do only work out to about 1 1/2 hrs drawing, it's so hard to do anything else after work... and even on weekends!
Yes, I was surprised to find that, for me anyway, charcoal is such a slow and labourious medium!I think that's why I like the directness of graphite for the shorter poses.

Mac

**macrobertson** · #15 02-19-2005, 04:57 PM

wow Dana, I just noticed the impact of the words I didn't quote

Quote:

I had grandiose plans of going to the free life drawing session after work everyday

... if only that was available here! I guess thats the problem with living a long way from the big smoke. I had a look at a job in Sydney's busy Bondi Junction last week, and every second passer by seemed to be an almost virtual life model! made me realize I live in a very underpopulated and rural setting... better suited for pleinair!

Mac

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