Last Bargue

I finished my 4th and final Bargue at the end in September. Finally! Belvedere Torso, called "The School of Michelangelo", because of his admiration for this contorted torso. And here is a picture of me drawing from the actual statue in the Vatican for the 30 seconds I had in front of him, during a school trip in April:

Ernesto

I completed a second year at ARA with a very long Saturday long pose. The model was gracious enough to pose for 30 Saturdays from September - June. I used Nitram charcoal on Roma paper. Even with such an extended pose, I still could not "finish", so I focused on the chest. I had to make sure the half tones were not too dark and then I worked on the convexity and conclaves of the chest. Also, I wanted to make sure I rounded the form with big form modeling. I also concentrated on differentiating between sharp and soft edges on both the contour and the shadows. Emmy is the BEST instructor! Other than the chest, I had to work hard making the model's right leg turn front. I wish I had the time to render it more! I struggled greatly during the construct phase, which is something I am disappointed in. I should have been able to work more quickly on that. I have been unable to take a decent picture of the drawing. The true hue of the paper is somewhere between the next two images.

Portia.1 Hour and a Half at QAA

Quick sketch. Great model. I used charcoal paper, and I was unable to maneuver the Conte as well as on the drawing paper I used with Ilya. She is distorted, but I had no room to step back, and I did not measure at all.

Cartoon - Ernesto

A few adjustments to my cartoon next week and I'll be ready to transfer:

New Year's Resolution:

I will attend Tuesday drop in figure drawing at QAA as much as humanly possible. Quick studies. An hour and a half to two hours.

 1/6

1/13

Lots of Work

I have been working since the summer, but had little time to post.

1.) Venus, The Creator*

I finished my 3rd Bargue drawing for the Academy of Realist Art, Boston. One more to do!

2.) Stupid Bird Painting

I painted this bee eater in the manner I learned from Christina's workshop last summer. I picked a simple subject, and just painted.

3.) Red Chalk Eric

I did this in a three day workshop with Ilia Mirochnik. I learned a huge amount-everything from stretching paper stretching to finding form on the subject. I like the hand the best.

*Mother of Rome, delight of Gods and men, 

Dear Venus that beneath the gliding stars 
Makest to teem the many-voyaged main 
And fruitful lands- for all of living things 
Through thee alone are evermore conceived, 
Through thee are risen to visit the great sun- 
Before thee, Goddess, and thy coming on, 
Flee stormy wind and massy cloud away, 
For thee the daedal Earth bears scented flowers, 
For thee waters of the unvexed deep 
Smile, and the hollows of the serene sky 
Glow with diffused radiance for thee! 
For soon as comes the springtime face of day, 
And procreant gales blow from the West unbarred, 
First fowls of air, smit to the heart by thee, 
Foretoken thy approach, O thou Divine, 
And leap the wild herds round the happy fields 
Or swim the bounding torrents. Thus amain, 
Seized with the spell, all creatures follow thee 
Whithersoever thou walkest forth to lead, 
And thence through seas and mountains and swift streams, 
Through leafy homes of birds and greening plains, 
Kindling the lure of love in every breast, 
Thou bringest the eternal generations forth, 
Kind after kind. And since 'tis thou alone 
Guidest the Cosmos, and without thee naught 
Is risen to reach the shining shores of light, 
Nor aught of joyful or of lovely born, 
Thee do I crave co-partner in that verse 
Which I presume on Nature to compose 

Opening Lines of Lucertius' De rerum natura
Translated by William Ellery Leonard