Summer Workshop at ARA - 2016

Red chalk on stretched, walnut oil toned paper.

Last week I was fortunate to be enrolled in a figure drawing workshop with Iliya Mirochnik http://www.iliyamirochnik.com. This it the third workshop I have attended with Iliya as the instructor, and it never ceases to amaze me that such a young man could possess so much talent, skill, and knowledge! The drawing above took me about 21 hours. The model was a former body builder. It was great to see her muscles, but she could not hold her pose. Her head was not still for more than 30 seconds. Students have her head in all different positions - some facing left, some right. It is amusing to see. Since I could not determine how to draw her head, Iliya had me do a sketch below, and then copy it on my figure drawing. This helped. Since it was a figure drawing, I was told not to concentrate on achieving a likeness, but to focus on structure and form.

In order to experience anatomy close up (I mean really up close and personal), Iliya brought us to Tufts Medical School to study a cadaver with an Iraqi doctor, who went to elementary school with Saddam Hussein. A fantastic experience!

Other than focusing on the form and anatomy as you can see in the above long pose, we also attempted quick sketches on newsprint at the beginning of the week. We did line line drawings, contour drawings, and light and dark tonal impressions. This approach is very different from the usual ARA procedure. I find both techniques beneficial, and when I am ready to go out on my own, I will certainly work in both manners depending on my purpose.

I explained to Iliya that I want to practice my hatching, and he suggested I fill in 5 pieces of lined paper with hatches. I did 5 with straight lines, and 2 with curved. He said at the end of the exercise I would be able to hatch like Michelangelo. He had more faith in me than he should have. I will continue to practice this.

Angela: 60 Hour Pose

Angela:

This year we had a model for one 30 hour term, where I competed a decent construct. This model, however, quit modeling at the end of the term.

Angela stepped in and was able to model for approximately 60 hours during the course of two terms. I missed one session and she missed one or two. I felt the time was sufficient to create a cartoon and to begin to render a portion of the figure. What my drawing lacks is subtle transitions. This seems to be the struggle as there is only a certain amount of time in front of the model. I find it much too challenging to work on anything other than filling in values when the model is not in front of me. Even stretching out a value to achieve a transition is useless for me when I am not looking at something. I have attempted this, but I am always wrong! I found Angela to be a great model. She stayed in position well, though her tilt was off by the last few pose sessions. No one complained, and I was able to work around it. I found her head to be very difficult, because, first, it is small, and secondly, her head was almost completely in the dark. My binoculars were not helpful. I have been searching for a decent set, but to no avail. Thanks to Emmy for another great year!

Value Study #2

Here is my second attempt at a value study in Emmy's Color Study Class at the Academy of Realist Art-Boston. I do not think I achieved the fall of light as well as I did on my first value study in the class. Emmy helped much with the plane changes on the pectoral muscles.
The most successful part, I believe, is the light reflecting from the floor back onto the model's legs.

This was a two class study. Ivory black, raw umber, lead white on oil primed linen. Neutral imprimatura (ivory black, raw umber, turpentine).

A Commission & A Value Study

Sometime ago, a colleague of mine asked me to paint a picture of her kids. She wanted it Sorolla-style, and, also similar to much of Sorolla's work, the setting was to be on the beach. She is a Spanish teacher, so no surprises here. She provided me with a dark 4x6 glossy photograph. I experienced some trials as I attempted this: a.) I am not accustomed to working from photographs, never mind small ones with dark figures, b.) I haven't painted in over a year, and c.) I have been painting indirectly the majority of the times I have painted over the last 4 years. Sorolla obviously requires more of a direct style. So here is what I came up with:

I also began a value/color study course at ARA with Emmy. We have had three classes thus far. The first was dedicated to a lecture and a demo, and the second two classes were for a value study of the figure with the same model, same pose both classes. We used raw umber, ivory black, and lead white; the goal was to achieve the fall of light. We worked small segments at a time, considering value relationships. We did not worry about the drawing, which was such a strange feeling while working at ARA, where the entire time I've been a student there, we have been pushed to render a likeness. I believe this first attempt was quite successful. My fear now is that I won't be able to do it again.

Constructs, Constructs, Constructs

Fall term at ARA:

One term with this lovely model. I was disappointed she decided to quit modeling.

Winter term at ARA:

One term and I completed an articulated construct. The fastest yet! Though, I observe now that I do not like her left hand. Since I have but one more term with this fantastic model, I will work on her top half. Charcoal on Roma paper.

One day with this model:

I am working on the eye cast. I completed the construct, and am now working on a value study. I am taking a term break from this cast so that I can paint!

Color Wheel:

Julie at ARA taught a one day introduction to painting workshop, where time was limited and ARA supplied the materials. I took what I learned from her and started the exercises with my own paints in order to become more familiar with how far I am able to push them.