It’s only a drawing

[John humber]

It appears to me that there has been a little bit of a slump (again) in new postings recently, especially in this forum.

I thought, then, that I’d post this here rather than in Drawing & sketching and pose a question rather than simply posting my drawings.

I use these life drawings as example but my question could relate to other subject matter too.

My approach here is one of ‘it’s only a drawing’. Sometimes in my life drawing I plan and measure carefully aiming to produce a drawing that is is a ‘proper’ figure drawing. At other times I can finish up with a drawing that is a ‘good’ drawing (whatever that might mean to different people) although is not necessarily proportionally accurate. It’s a ‘good’ drawing but not a ‘good’ figure drawing.

With these two—made in the same session—I deliberately took an I wonder what would happen if… approach. Some of the broad marks in the first one for example were made before the model took her pose (I knew it would be a standing pose). In the second I began with the white marks.

Some people I’m aware would find it difficult to put aside thoughts of accuracy, as much as they might wish to. Others may not see the point of this mark-making approach.

What are others’ thoughts around the it’s only a drawing idea? I have in mind someone calling himself a drawing tutor who would make remarks (of my drawings) such as ‘Ahh…you never use one line where five would do’. Over a number of weeks, I found his advice to be of absolutely no value to me and chose to ignore it.

PLEASE how do I make these dreadful yellow things go away?

www.instagram.com/john_humber_artist
www.instagram.com/john_petty_letterform

[Yorky Administrator Ormskirk]

My class has asked to do a nude, but I have found it difficult to find a reference. Any suggestions?

No, I won’t do it.

Doug

We must leave our mark on this world

[John humber]

Doug, hello. I’m guessing that you mean a photo reference(?) I don’t use photo references so I can’t help, sorry. Have you considered a live model? For one session the cost wouldn’t be high, especially if distributed across the class members. Somewhere—can’t recall where—I came across a directory of life drawing models. Bound to be some in your area.

PLEASE how do I make these dreadful yellow things go away?

www.instagram.com/john_humber_artist
www.instagram.com/john_petty_letterform

[Yorky Administrator Ormskirk]

Thanks John.

Doug

We must leave our mark on this world

[BeLing]

John humber wrote:

…an I wonder what would happen if… approach.

An important aspect of any art, I think, is the time taken to experiment.

I admire the honesty, even intimacy, that is often contained in drawings. Philip Rawson writes: “In a sense once can say that drawing is the most fundamentally spiritual—i.e. completely subjective—of all visual artistic activities.”

How can such a thing be “only a drawing”? However, a brightly colored painting might be “only decoration.”

My own teacher said I used too many lines. I try to remember that, but also ignore him at times. He’d admire especially your “white figure”. As do I.

Doug: nudes are in a special category. The first time you see a live model it’s a bit of a shock. The flesh. The nakedness. It wears off under the difficulties of trying to draw the figure, of course. Perhaps your class can find a partial nude, someone in a speedo, or a string bikini!

[John humber]

BeLing wrote:

Doug: nudes are in a special category. The first time you see a live model it’s a bit of a shock. The flesh. The nakedness. It wears off under the difficulties of trying to draw the figure, of course. Perhaps your class can find a partial nude, someone in a speedo, or a string bikini!

I’ve been attending regular life drawing sessions for years and your remark made me think. I remembered the first time or two and as well as I can recall, my thoughts were something like “this is a real peson…and they are completly naked”. It wasn’t quite shock I don’t think, more of a sort of astonished amusement perhaps. And you’re right…it wears off quite quickly, but remains for me, fascinating; I never make another appointment at the same time as the drawing group—if I can’t do it at another time I don’t want to do it.

PLEASE how do I make these dreadful yellow things go away?

www.instagram.com/john_humber_artist
www.instagram.com/john_petty_letterform

[Snow_tabby]

Yorky Administrator Ormskirk wrote:

Thanks John. Doug

You can try these references for life drawings?

https://3d-virtual-figure-drawing-studio.freedownloadscenter.com/windows/

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=free+life+drawing+model+videos&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

https://www.proko.com/skellyapp

http://ktigressscreativelog.blogspot.com/
http://ktigresssthescratchingpost.blogspot.com/
My reference media photo albums.
https://www.wetcanvas.com/members/98873/media/album/

[Yorky Administrator Ormskirk]

Thanks for the links, they will be useful.

Doug

We must leave our mark on this world

[Old_hobbyest]

Doug wrote

My class has asked to do a nude…

Yrs ago, I signed up for a figure study class at a nearby community college. A 13 week semester course 3 hr each week. The first night the instructor said that our models would all be nude and if anyone objected they could drop the class. Nobody did. He then announced that the model would be different every week. He then said that he would be the first model, that night. As he shed his clothes, he said that the next week would be the person who had the last name whose first letter began first the the alphabet.And so on. We had about 8 or 9 women and the rest were men. As it turned out I was the model the 12th week.

Nobody dropped despite many groans about being embarrassed. Of course there was a lot of covering up but eventually everyone agreed to participate. Most surprising the men seemed much more embarrassed to “show it all” than the women. For the most part the art work was pretty good.

[BeLing]

Wow, I never heard of the students being the models. I was ultra-shy as a student. I wouldn’t have lasted. Maybe if everyone was a stranger, but by the 12th week? Don’t think so! Don’t know why I was so shy then, when I had a young bod. Now that I’m old and sagging, I care much less.

[John humber]

I’ve heard of group members taking turns to pose for portraiture but never for nude figure modelling. I’m surprised that no-one said no or quit the group.

PLEASE how do I make these dreadful yellow things go away?

www.instagram.com/john_humber_artist
www.instagram.com/john_petty_letterform

[WFMartin]

Wow!  I’d have been the first out the door!

It’s not just that I’m 86, and have very little to offer in the way of physical appearance, ……I wouldn’t have consented to that when I was 25!

It would embarrass the hell out of me to even be painting a nude human being.  I am not a prude, and I enjoy seeing nude women’s bodies as much as the next person, but examining nude men holds no interest for me for me.

When it comes to art, the human body just does not seem to hold much of a fascination for me.  That is probably the reason that I invented the method that I use for painting a portrait, where I use no drawing, whatsoever.  I go directly to canvas with paint, using a 1-inch brush, and I work from a reference photo.

I find it interesting that so many students remained in that class, after what you described!

 

 

wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

[christinsim]

I love your art! Were do you actually sell it these days? I just came across Fine Art America reviews, maybe that would be something for you? Are you familiar with this auction anyway? Cause honestly i just heard about it for the first time ever.

[Author]

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