Bosbyshell Art Studio

Sketching on MLK Day

2012-01-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

I began this sketch with a very detailed drawing first. This is unusual, I usually just do an outline in pencil then move to the color pencil sketch. I like the mad expression on the models face. I think that the pencil sketch has a better expression than the color pencil sketch.

Step 1. The eye brows were important on this one, so I spent a lot of time in the early stages on them.

Step 2.

The necklace in the final color pencil sketch looks like metal links, but it began as a twine rope necklace.

Sketching the Head

2011-12-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

Final drawing. I put the primary emphasis on the eyes, mouth, and hair details. I tried to make the cheek shadow very sublte.

Step 3. The hair has three layers now. I have begun to work on the jaw and neck shadows. Shadows have been added under the nose and lower lip.

Step 2. This photo shows the hair with two layers. The eye and mouth areas already have about five layers at this point. I worked a lot on the jagged hair line.

Step 1. I thought this was a nice profile. I begin with the exterior contour line then add large shadow shapes. Very little of the face has no shadow.

Sketching Process

2011-12-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

The sketch above is complete. I worked to make the exterior contour lines less bold. The figure fades to flat shadow on the bottom and in the arms. The highest contrast is in the face. I am very happy with the jaw and neck shadow.

Here is step one of the sketch: contour lines and first shadows. The shadows are all one large shape at this point. I worked on \the sketch starting light and proceeding to dark using layers of color pencil.

The above is step two. This shows about three layers of shadows.

Here is the final sketch and the line drawing I use to work out the contour details.

Figure Sketch Book

2011-12-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to everyone! I spent most of the day in my studio today working on my figure sketch book. The above figure is based on a photo of Emma Watson, with some liberties taken. I de-emphasized the exterior contour line some. The mouth came out well, I think. Ears are fascinating, so I spent a lot of time on them.

The above drawing was a quick sketch. The feet are large due to a little exaggeration in the perspective.

I liked this pose due to the twist in the head and hands. The neck appears long, but is in proportion.

The above drawing may appear in an earlier post. Here is a better photo. I used less contrast than my usual approach in this sketch. The only detail is in the face. The "S" shape of the neck and torso is great! The arms appear to have real weight, which I am pleased with.

The focus of this drawing was the hand.

This sketch has a nice twist to the torso and face as well. I am very pleased with the collarbone, eyes, and mouth. Also the cropping of the whole figure nice action to the pose.

Figure Sketch Book

2011-10-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

This is an unusual drawing because I used two colors.

I tried to use less value contrast on this drawing.

This is copied from another artist's drawing.

Little shading or value, almost a cartoon.

The lips came out really well on this one.

Drawing 9 progess

2011-09-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

I worked to make the shadow a smooth gradation towards the edge of the paper. Also, I increased the contrast between the legs and the shadow by darkening the shadow area.

Sketchbook Drawings

2011-09-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

This pose was surprisingly difficult, so I stopped at the arms.

The lips came out especially well on the above drawing. I used brown color pencil for this one. I usually draw with a red hue.

Poster Created by Ai Student

2011-09-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

Ai student Jalessa McClain created this poster for a series on Art Institute faculty. I love what she did with the quote from my biography.

Drawing 9 Step 2

2011-09-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

I have been working on the hair and face and realized I needed to work on the feet and legs. I like to have the drawing develop as a whole and not let one part get too far ahead of another.

Above I am beginning to put the shadows around the feet and legs. I did not like the shadow under the closest foot. So I erased it.

Above that shadow on the close up foot is gone. Then I put in the shadows on the soles of the feet. The shadow cast by the hand is looking great! I like that part of the drawing.

Here is my studio with the drawing up on the desk so I could work on the feet and legs.

Sketchbook figures

2011-09-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

I worked in my figure sketchbooks recently. Three of the drawings are yoga poses and one is not. People ask why my models have short hair. The reason is that I find the physiology of the figure more interesting than hair.

Drawing 9 Begun!

2011-08-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

I have a process for each drawing or painting I begin. I do a small drawing or value study in one of my sketch books first. This allows me to catch problems in the composition before I waste too much time on a larger drawing. In the sketch of this drawing, I changed the slant of the rock a lot. At this point in the drawings above, I have worked on the outline or contour of the entire figure. During this stage I had to make a lot of changes to the face. When the contour is at a certain point I put in the first white highlights with white charcoal. Looking at the drawing now, it looks like her hands are cut off, oh no! I will have to work on that. Her toes look cut off as well. I have a long way to go on this one.

Figure Sketches

2011-08-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a few sketches from my figure sketch book that I have completed recently. I zoomed in on the one above. There are some problems with this drawing that I did not notice until I was finished. The right eye is too big. I need to go back and fix that, maybe by making the left one larger.

This one is different from my usual short hair models.

This is only about an hour of work on the drawing above. This pose is from a pose book. I'll work on this one tomorrow.

In the studio in spite of the heat!

2011-06-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

I worked on this and two other sketches today in my studio. I like how the neck and the hair fade into one another in this sketch. The ear may be a little large.

Sketch for the next drawing in the weight series

2011-05-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

I am beginning my thought process for the next drawing in the weight series. Here is a sketch I completed recently. The figure is using one hand to hold up the rock instead of two. Some questions come to mind. Does she look like a super hero holding up the rock? Should I make it look like the rock is falling or tipping over? I will probably do another version of this concept.

Sketch Book in April

2011-04-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

Detail of the face.

Full Drawing. I decided not to put the hard exterior line on this drawing.

This drawing has the hard exterior line.

These are found images that I drew in my sketch book recently. The exhibition in December and January went well, but took up so much time and effort that I did not get to my studio for a while. I'm back! I am playing with the exterior contour line: whether to use it or not.

Ink Examples by students

2011-02-26T15:49:00.000-08:00

Mechanical Marker demonstration by Wil Bosbyshell

2011-02-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

Organic Marker demonstraton by Wil Bosbyshell

2011-02-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Dry Brush & Ink Wash Demonstration

2011-01-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Comment from visitor to the exhibition

2011-01-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

Hi Will.

Just a note to let you know I saw your exhibit with a figure drawing friend. It was wonderful. Just a couple of thoughts:

My favorite was the figure just to the left as you enter the exhibit, full front small figure with rock in upper 1/3 of page. I liked the drawing, angle of the figure and proportions of 1/3 rock to 2/3 body. It seemed balanced and just right. She really liked that one too. We both loved the large scale.

After looking at the exhibit for a while I saw some of the rock weights as crystal from the way you drew them. It made me think that sometimes what weighs us down can be seen as a crystal instead of a rock. It can be a good thing too, a blessing. And the faces and bodies all had strength and beauty in doing the job of lifting and holding their rocks. Anyway, I thought the exhibit had a lot of optimism, and beauty and made me see things a little different, which is the purpose of art.

Congratulations.

What are you going to do with the drawings? They looked great in your studio at CAL. Just out of curiosity, who was the model?

Talk to you later,

Sheryl

Figure Drawing Field Trip

2011-01-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

Art Institute students draw the figure at Charlotte Art League

2011-01-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

In November and December 2010, students from the Art Institute of Charlotte (Ai) travelled to the Charlotte Art League (CAL) for a figure drawing class. The class was open to members of the Charlotte Art League and approximately 20 members took advantage of the class. I was the primary instructor, but both Joan Vitale of CAL and Don Micheal of Ai provided guest demonstrations. The above video was made by Ai photography students during the last class in December. The filed trip was a community outreach project in conjunction with my figure drawing exhibition "Weight".

CAL is located in Charlotte Historic Southend district on the light rail line. Several students arrived early and had dinner at Phat Burrito or the Commn Market. Many students rode the light rail to CAL.

Exhibit extended to end of January

2011-01-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

The exhibition for January at the Art Institute gallery fell through for some reason. So, the Weight exhibition will remain up through January. The gallery is open 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM Monday through Saturday. Thanks to everyone who has come by! Happy New Year!

More sketches

2010-12-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

Mike Watson did a great job displaying my sketch books at the "Weight" exhibition. Here are few more
sketches from those books. Some of my sketch books have a theme like faces or yoga poses. Some are just random images I come across. The one below is from an old masters painting.

Studio Discipline

2010-12-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

A walk around the exhibition

2010-12-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

It was a cold day yesterday (for Charlotte)...a great day to be inside looking at art! Lets begin at drawing 1 seen here in the foreground.

Next to drawing 1 is a display of two sketch books filled with preparatory drawings.

Onto drawing 2 on the inside of the gallery space. In the background is drawing 6.

On the wall to the left is drawing 8. This is a half size drawing which is only 3 feet tall instead of 6 feet. I used this drawing to work out several details for the larger drawings. In the foregound is the exhibition review by Robert Mayhew, Phd. candidate in art history art Duke University. Mike Watson did a great job creating this poster.

Finally drawing 3. Here you can see the magnets I used to hang the drawings like Japanese scrolls.

Figure and Ground Relationship

2010-12-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

For this series, I have decided to use a thick, dark line to outline the figure. You can see this in the detail above in the forward hand, arm, and leg.

Where the shadow meets the edge of a drawing, as shown in the back hand and arm, I will usually not use a hard line. This allows the dark values do the work of the line.

With the rock overhead much of the figure is in shadow. So both the rock and figure cast shadows on the ground. I kept this shadow minimal so as not to overwhelm the figure. However, I used the cast shadow to bring out the highlights and middle gray areas of the foot and leg.

Paper Selection for Drawing Series

2010-12-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

Starting a new drawing is easy for me. I just start putting marks on the paper. Beginning a new series of drawings, however, requires many, many decisions. What type paper do I want to use? As with everything in life today, the choices are almost endless. I decided to use gray paper for my larger drawings. It is a light gray so that graphite shows up well. Also, I decided to use white charcoal for the highlights on these drawings, so gray allows for that. I wanted a textured paper, so I chose one with a slight texture. I paint on rough paper and I did not want to use paper that was too rough. Drawing six above shows how both the dark pencil and white charcoal show up well on gray paper. I must say that backs are soooooooo fun to draw! The subtle details of the back muscles are endlessly fascinating to me.

Student Figure Drawings

2010-12-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

Here are several drawings from my students in life drawing class. These were done during week 10 of an 11 week class. This is the second drawing class in the drawing series for these students. In the class, I stress observation, gesture, line and value. The classes uses only two mediums: charcoal and color pastels. The drawings above are by the following students: Matthew (MJ) Jacobs, Erin Niedbalski, Anthony (AJ) McCrea, Nick Dischler, and Ycien Henderson.

Rock Shape Composition

2010-12-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

Round rock shape used in drawing 3.

Pointed rock shape used in a preparatory sketch.

Square rock shape used in drawing 4.

The composition of each drawing calls for making decisions as well. I wanted the drawings in the series to have a balance of optimistic and pessimistic views. In some of the drawings, the figure is 'winning' against the rock. She is pushing the rock up and off the top of the page. In other drawings the figure is being overwhelmed by the weight of the rock. I experimented with the shape of the rock in the sketches for the series. You can see that there are three rock shapes: round, pointed, and squared. I decided that the pointed rock was to pessimistic and did not include that rock shape in the larger drawings. The round rock shape I used for the optimistic drawings where the figure successfully holding the weight up. I used the squared rock shape for the pessimistic rocks that are pushing the figure down.

Exhibition Photos 2

2010-12-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

The exhibition is completely installed now. I want to go over some of the decisions I made while working on these drawings.
In all my drawings I start with line. In this series I decided that each figure would be outlined using a bold exterior contour line. In each drawing, I draw the outside or exterior contour line first. Then I put in the shadow or interior contour lines. After the lines are roughed in, I start shading, adding the darks. I draw the lightest shadows first and work from light to dark. As I draw, I gradually use darker and softer pencils. I usually begin with a B pencil and end up using a 6B or 7B pencil to finish the darkest shadows. Notice I even placed line boarders around the edge of the paper.

Photos from the Exhibition

2010-12-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

The exhibition looks great! This photo shows one of the sketches and drawing 1. Mike Watson did a great job hanging everything. I decided to display the drawings like Japanese scrolls. They are not framed, but hung by magnets on pieces of foam core board. The look is different from the standard display. Remember not to touch them! The oil from your hands will damage the paper. I was unsure if a magnet could hold the weight of the paper, but you can get very strong magnets. The first set I ordered were so strong that I could not get them apart. So I ordered some with less attraction power.

Exhibition is Up

2010-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

The exhibition is up at the Art Institute today. Here is the invitation above. I chose drawing number 3 for the invitation. In preparation for the exhibition, the creation of the marketing materials has been fun. In the invitation I used the vertical elements of a drawing and my name in contrast with the horizontal placement of the title. In the title I contrasted a thick, bold sans serif font with a thin, delicate serif font. I hope you can make it by the exhibit.

Don Michael demonstrates at figure drawing class

2010-12-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

As part of my exhibition in December of figure drawings, I took one of my classes on a series of field trips to the Charlotte Art League. At the League my students were exposed to drawing with experienced artists. Last week, Don Michael demonstrated a new technique for the class. He had the students use a wound piece of paper to distance the pastel from their hands. This caused them to make subtle, light marks. The results were fantastic as you can see by the drawings above. These are three students from the class, each 2nd quarter students at the Art Institute of Charlotte: Chris Ross, Chelsea Clay, and Talia Najera.

Exhibition Catalog Published

2010-12-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

The exhibition catalog has arrived from the printers. If you would like a copy for yourself, email me and let me know; be sure and include your address. I will be glad to mail you one. The catalog will also be available at the exhibition which will go up Friday December 4th. I must say that I am excited, this is the second catalog my art has been in. The first was a catalog of a group exhibition in Hungary. A big thanks to Robert Mayhew who wrote the exhibition review! And in advance, a big thanks to Mike Watson who is the curator of the exhibition.

Weight series becomes my new business card

2010-10-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

The drawings are complete and ready for the exhibition in December. That's soon! I have so much to do to get ready. Here is my new business card to go along with the show. The invitation is in the works as well. In addition to the seven large drawings, I am framing three preparatory drawings. They are on display in my studio now. Let me know if you would like one of my business cards and I will send you one.

Final Drawings Photographed

2010-10-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Drawing 1. I am now working on the display for the exhibition in December. I think I will hang these like Japanese scrolls using magnets and foam-core board.

Drawing 2

Drawing 4

Drawing 5

Robert Mayhew writes article on Figure Series

2010-10-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here is drawing 5 in its final form. My friend and former colleague, Robert Mayhew, took a look at my press release and re-wrote it. Robert is an Art History doctoral candidate at Duke University. I cannot express my thanks enough. Here is his article.

In the exhibition, Weight, Bosbyshell explores the figure and its role in the context of today’s pressure-cooker society.

We all live under tremendous pressures. We live under the pressure to consume, the pressure to provide, and the pressure to succeed. We bear these weights both as individuals and collectively as a society. Educators, for example, are pushed to be subject experts, leaders, classroom disciplinarians, administrators, and even entertainers. No matter who we are, we also pressure ourselves to advance in our careers in addition to being perfect children, parents, spouses, and friends. In other words, we pressure ourselves to have it all.

In the midst of these emotional weights, the visual arts can be a relieving force against these pressures. In his new exhibition Weight, Wil Bosbyshell explores this theme with the most fundamental and challenging subject that artists can depict: the human body. As the most basic module for understanding, light, shadow, line and form, the human figure is not only a standard building-block to the practice of the visual arts, but it is also a powerful expression of humankind’s most universal experiences. These two dynamics are clear in Bosbyshell’s work. With his crisp and confident lines, in this series of pencil drawings, he successfully renders the human form stressed under unseen and oppressive weights. Using the body as a metaphor, he simultaneously expresses the multiple pressures of life with elegant and graceful lines. This inherent tension has stunning results.

While Bosbyshell has drawn and painted the figure throughout his career, he has never undertaken drawings of this size and scale. The principal drawings of the exhibit are six feet in height and three feet wide, drawn with pencil and white charcoal. Each figure supports a rock above her head. Some figures shoulder the weight easily; others are drawn as if the weight will soon crush them. The exhibit also includes Bosbyshell’s preparatory pencil and pastel sketches.

Life Drawing Class - New Flyer

2010-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Don Michael, a fellow instructor at the Art Institute of Charlotte designed this flyer for my life drawing class in November and December. Thanks, Don!

More information on Art Institute and Art League Figure Class

2010-09-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

The Art Institute of Charlotte (Ai) and the Charlotte Art League (CAL) team up to offer a figure drawing class this fall. The class is open and free to members of the Charlotte Art League. Anyone can join the Art League to participate. The general public may attend by joining CAL for $50 annual membership.
The class will be taught by Wil Bosbyshell, Art Institute of Charlotte associate professor and studio member of CAL. The five night series of classes begins November, 3 2010. Bosbyshell will offer instruction and guidance for the beginner student, but all levels are welcome to participate.
Season: Fall 2010

Class: Life Drawing (Beginning Figure Drawing)

Location: The Charlotte Art League, 1517 Camden Road

Intersection of Camden and S. Tryon Street

Day: Wednesday

Time: 6:00 to 9:50

Dates: November 3, 10, 17 and December 1, 8

To attend call (704) 357-8020 ext 2331 and register for the class

To join CAL call email Bobbie Underhill at cal@charlotteartleague.org

Bosbyshell wrote the curriculum for the Art Institute figuring drawing class in 2001 and has taught the class for 10 years since. The class will utilize live models and stress a variety of mediums and techniques. Students need to bring all their own supplies.
Throughout his career, Bosbyshell has drawn and painted the figure. He is now working on a series of large scale figure drawings titled: Weight. The drawings are six feet in height and three feet wide, drawn with pencil and white charcoal. Each figure supports a rock above her head. Some figures shoulder the weight easily; others look as if the weight will soon crush them.

The progress and process of the drawings have been documented in a blog: www.bosbyshellart.blogspot.com. There you can see, through images and discussion of the drawings in progress, Bosbyshell’s thought process, and technique. Also, these drawings will be on display at the Gallery of the Art Institute of Charlotte during the month of December, 2010.

Bosbyshell maintains a studio at the Charlotte Art League on the Light Rail Line in Charlotte’s South End cultural district. He is represented by Redsky Gallery in Charlotte, and has exhibited internationally, and throughout the southeastern U.S. His paintings are included in the collections of EnPro Industries and The Vendue Inn in Charleston.

Art Insittue and Art League team up to offer figure class

2010-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

I am teaching five of my figure drawing classes at The Charlotte Art League this fall. This should be a fun class. I will bring the models and the room at CAL is big. I will provide instruction on a variety of techniques and mediums. Call or email to sign up.

Professional Photo of Drawing 3

2010-09-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the final photo of drawing three. One debate I have with other artist is how to photograph or document their work. First you need to document everything! Second, some of your documentation needs to be better than the photos you take with your phone or personal camera. In the photo above, the light is even, which I could never achieve on my own. I use Kenny Color in Charlotte for all my professional photography and high resolution scanning. You can do all this by yourself, yes. But you would have to buy all the equipment. Kenny Color can do it for me without all the hassle of learning another profession!

Standing figure final drawing

2010-09-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

It has been so hot in August that I have not been able to go to my studio to draw. However, I have been documenting the drawings. Here is one of the finals for the standing figure. This image shows the negative space around the drawing which I was unable to capture in my personal photographs. It pays to hire a professional! I am very happy with the cast shadow on this drawing.

Progress in spite of the heat

2010-07-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Three of the drawing together. I am still working on the one to the left.

I worked on the rock. It is not as fractured looking now. But I am not not happy with the cracks. More work.

Figure Sketches

2010-07-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is just too hot to spend too much time in my studio. It is not climate controlled. So I went home and worked on my figure sketch books. Here are some pages!

I use images from pose books or magazines to do these, not live models.

People think this looks like Maura, my wife. These are done in my moleskine books. The pages are a slightly yellow warm hue. Then I draw with a crimson hue color pencil.

Highlights begun on the last drawing

2010-07-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

The highlights on the last drawing have started. I spent a lot time on the rock today. The shapes are separated now, but I will link them up soon. It is hot in Charlotte so I am going to my studio very early in the morning. This drawing has the largest rock of the series. It really dominates the figure.

The hand needs a lot more detail and refinement, but its a start. The highlight on the leg really helps the 3-D aspect of the arm and leg. I am tempted to put some light on the face, but it is in shadow. I'm still thinking what to do there.

Exhibition in December

2010-07-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Weight: a figure drawing series

Artist Wil Bosbyshell explores the
weight of society on individuals using the
figure as metaphor in an exhibition
at the Art Institute of Charlotte

The Art Institute of Charlotte presents an exhibition of figure drawings by Wil Bosbyshell running from December 4, 2010 to January 5, 2011 in the Libby Guinan Gallery. The Art Institute of Charlotte Gallery is open to the public daily from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m.

In the exhibition, Weight, Bosbyshell explores the figure and its role in the context of today’s pressure-cooker society.

Society puts tremendous pressure on its citizens. The pressure to succeed weighs on the public and individuals. There is great pressure to consume as well; we are all pressured by market forces, peer pressure, family obligations, and demanding jobs. Instructors for example, are pressured to be subject experts, industry leaders, class room disciplinarians, administrators, and entertainers. If societal pressures are not enough, we also pressure ourselves to advance in our careers in addition to being perfect children, parents, spouses, friends, etc. In other words, we pressure ourselves to “have it all.”

In the midst of this weight, it is important for art and artistic concepts to maintain a place in society at the conscious and subconscious levels. How can art address the pressure in our lives? How do these demands on me and those around me become art? Does art add to or alleviate the pressure? What metaphor can be used to show the weight on people in society? Who in society carries the most and least weight?

In the series of drawings titled: Weight, Bosbyshell uses the figure as metaphor to explore the weight that society places on us. Through drawing, he attempts to address the above questions, reflecting on our society.

Throughout his career, Bosbyshell has drawn and painted the figure. However, he has never undertaken drawings of this size and scale. The main drawings of the exhibit are six feet in height and three feet wide, drawn with pencil and white charcoal. Each figure supports a rock above her head. Some figures shoulder the weight easily; others look as if the weight will soon crush them. The exhibit also includes Bosbyshell’s preparatory pencil and pastel sketches.

The progress and process of the drawings have been documented in a blog: http://www.bosbyshellart.blogspot.com/. There you can see, through images and discussion of the drawings in progress, Bosbyshell’s thought process, and technique.

Bosbyshell maintains a studio at the Charlotte Art League on the Light Rail Line in Charlotte’s Southend cultural district. He is an associate professor of graphic design at The Art Institute of Charlotte. Bosbyshell is represented by Redsky Gallery in Charlotte, and has exhibited internationally, and throughout the southeastern U.S. His paintings are included in the collections of EnPro Industries and The Vendue Inn in Charleston.

You are invited to visit the exhibition during the month of December.

Directions to the Art Institute of Charlotte: 2110 Water Ridge Parkway:

From Uptown Charlotte: South on I-77. Exit on Tyvola towards the airport (right). Cross south Tryon Street. Turn left on North Stream Blvd at a light. Left on Water Ridge Parkway. At the dead end, left into parking lot. Ai is at the end of the parking lot on the left.

From South Charlotte: North on I-77. Exit on Tyvola towards the airport (left). Cross south Tryon Street. Turn left on North Stream Blvd at a light. Left on Water Ridge Parkway. At the dead end, left into parking lot. Ai is at the end of the parking lot on the left.

Sketch that began series

2010-07-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

The July gallery Crawl in the Southend area was well attended. It was a cool night for July! The officers of the Art League allowed me to display all the drawing in my series in a vacant studio. The drawings looked good. I saw some areas in each drawing that need work. Also, I was able to hang the sketches that began the series. The one shown above has never been published on this blog before. I decided not to execute a larger version of this sketch. It seemed too pessimistic; the rock looks like it is about to come crashing down into the figure. I may do a larger version of this in the future. Mark your calendars: the Weight series will be exhibited in December at the Art Institute gallery.

Highlights continued for drawing three

2010-07-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful day in my studio on Friday. It was 80 degrees in Charlotte. Wow that is cool for this time of year. So I had to go and draw. I worked on the highlights on this drawing. I am close to being finished. The rock needs a little more work.

Yoga Sketch Book

2010-06-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

My figure sketches are done in a moleskine book. I love those things! I usually have a theme for the book, this time it is yoga poses. Here are two pages I did recently. I used color pencil to draw these sketches.

Drawing 3 Highlights Started

2010-06-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

You can barely see it, but I began to put the white highlights on this drawing. I like the little flash of light showing up on the figure's lower arm. After not seeing this drawing for about six months, I have discovered some areas of the drawing I will modify. The feet are not in this image but they need work!

Four drawings complete

2010-06-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Art League had a extra wall today, so I hung the 4 drawings with highlights side-by-side. Ai portfolio show is tonight in the Southend area, so I hope to take a few people by to see them.

After looking at the crouching figure above, I decided to make some changes to the face. I erased and blended some of the highlights on her face.

Too bad my normal studio is not big enough to hang these up all the time!

Weight figure drawing series on You Tube

2010-06-03T16:58:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to a you tube video showing the weight drawing series. A big thanks to Lea Anderson who created the video for me. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KG0CWItIPY

Drawing 1 Complete

2010-06-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here is the drawing as it looked in June 2009. The dark values are in place, but no highlights. Also, the figure's hair was short. The face has a lot of problems.

The image above is how the drawing looks in June 2010. I changed the face a lot. Adding the pony tail, shortening the face, enlarging the eye area, etc.

This is the final full drawing. Her feet are all in shadow. I am trying to finish the series this summer so I can begin getting ready for the exhibit in December.

Drawing 1 Getting close to complete

2010-05-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

It had been a long time since I'd seen this drawing. This is the first in the series that I began last June. I can only hang so many drawings of this size in my studio at one time. I planned to just add the highlights, but I revisited several parts of the drawing and made major changes. I added more hair in the form of a pony tail. The model actually has a pony tail. I added the highlights, trying to stay minimal. Then, I redrew the eye area and made changes to the facial shadows.
I am more satisfied with the drawing now.

Rock Texture

2010-04-28T05:49:00.000-07:00

In this session at my studio I concentrated on the rock value and texture. I added highlights as well as dark values. I wanted the dark values on the bottom of the rock to be similar to the dark values in the figure's hair. My aim is to lead the eye from the rock to the figure. I tried to simplify the values, but add complexity to the rock shapes and texture. So I incorporated many more small rock shapes.

Drawing Six Highlights Continued

2010-04-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

After the initial blocking of the highlight, I began to erase and blend. I shaped the highlight areas and subtracted white charcoal from some of the edges. Then I used a blending stump to blend the white charcoal into the gray paper. I am happy with the highlight areas on the legs, not so much with the back. I will have to work on that area further. Maybe more shadows are needed in the back. We'll see.

Back in the Studio Again

2010-04-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

I am back in the studio again! Between final exams, portfolio review, and then the start of the new quarter I did'ot get to my studio very much. That's life! I have started working on this standing figure putting in the highlights. This image shows the first step where I blocked in the large shapes. I have done very little blending at this point. Also, the highlights are extending into some areas where I do not want them.

2010-03-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

Rocky Mountain Landscape almost Finished

2010-02-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

The top photo shows the painting is almost complete. Looking from the bottom photo to the top you can see how I built up the shadows and textures on the fence in the foreground. I worked on adding the white tree trunks to the background treeline. Then, I added a lot of green to the field in front of the cabin. Also, the cabin became a shade darker with darker shadows. Between each of these steps I take a few days and look at the painting, living with it for a while to see what it needs next.

Rocky Mountian Landscape

2010-01-28T15:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the painting after another session. The photo is too yellow, so everything looks warmer here than in the real painting. I have added the shadows to the cabin, worked on the green hills, added a lot of the grass and sage to the foreground. The fence has another layer now. I changed the open door quite a bit from the photo adding three windows which will be green in the end. I think this will add depth to the cabin.

The Rockie's

2010-01-28T15:25:00.000-08:00

I am taking a break from the figure drawing for a while to work on a few other projects. This is a commission for my friend Bill Mess and his daughter. This is a log cabin church in the Grand Teton mountains. What a spectacular place. This is about 20 layers, so just the beginning of a watercolor painting. I have laid in the underlying colors for all areas of the paintings. The sky, far mountains, and green hills are almost complete. The church and foreground flowers are in the very early stages. The fence has only one layer of paint. More painting tomorrow!

Large Scale Paintings Together at Last

2010-01-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

It took a while, but I finally got good photos of these three paintings. They are all so large that I do not have room to hang them in my studio. They are all completed on 300 lb paper, in acrylic paint, from live models, during one or two day sittings, using a ladder to reach the entire paper.

Nine Foot Painting

2010-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

This painting is on display now at the Art Institute of Charlotte Gallery. It is the second painting I completed at Arrowmont this summer. I differentiated the figures by making the foreground figure very colorful and removing almost all color from the background figure. The background figure looks like a cadaver as a result. Thus the title: Cadaver. There are some perspective problems with this painting, but a good start for the week.

Highlights Continue!

2010-01-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

I have continued to add highlights to this drawing. I added a great deal more white to the foreground arm, leg and foot. At first I added too little, so I have changed that. I put a very small dot of light on her cheek. I don't know if I like that or not. I will live with it for a while. I erased all the highlights I had placed on the rock and re-did them. Now the highlight shapes are larger.

Rock Star

2010-01-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

This painting is titled Rock Star because of the attitude of the model. He had the best sneer! This is the same model I used for the painting Insolent Boy that is features in an earlier blog. This painting is on paper and is 9 feet tall. I used acrylic paint, a very large brush, and a ladder to complete it. I painting on it for about 8 hours to finish it. The model posed the entire time with lots of breaks. He was great!

Started the Highlights on Drawing 5

2010-01-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

I have completed two sketches of the series with highlights in charcoal. So, now I am beginning to readdress the six drawings in the weight series and add the highlights. I started with drawing 5. The arm is looking good, leg not so much. I am very unhappy with the rock so far. I think I need larger shapes. So more work to do on this one. Happy new year!

Merry Christmas from The Bosbyshell's

2009-12-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

Here is a snap shot of our lives in 2009. Allen, who is 13, has added his comments in italic.

Wil had eye surgery to remove his cataracts in February. He has 20/20 vision for the first time in his life and only needs reading glasses (since he is so old). Papa can see better so now I have to clean more. Great . . .

Allen is the troop guide for Boy Scout Troop 1. He earned his Star rank and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Wil is still the scoutmaster. They hiked Grandfather Mountain (it rained), Table Rock (more rain), Cowpens Battle field (15°), and the Uwharrie trail (12 miles). My favorite part was messing with the knives and fire.

Maura branched out from quilting to designing jewelry and recycling clothing. She will donate over $150 to charities this year from her sales. Maura plans to sell jewelry on the internet in 2010.

The Art Institute of Charlotte granted Wil its first sabbatical this summer, and he began a new series of large scale figure drawings. He chronicled the series in a blog: www.bosbyshellart.blogspot.com.

In 2009, we exploded into the digital age! “Exploded” is taking it way too far! My parents are so not cutting edge. Wil also posted videos of his art technique demonstrations on Youtube. And all three of us have Facebook pages - friend us!

Maura still teaches fashion marketing and Wil graphic design at the Art Institute of Charlotte. Allen still studies languages and is now selecting a high school for next year!

We wish you and your family the best for 2010 and a joyous Christmas!

Your Friends, Wil, Maura and Allen Bosbyshell
mbosbyshell@aol.com
www.bosbyshellart.com
704-527-8231

Drawing 8 Complete

2009-12-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

I have finished this drawing. I used white charcoal to put in the highlights. I am much more happy with the results using charcoal than when I used color pencil. I blended with a blending stump quite a bit on this drawing as well. The above image is a detail. Since my last session working on this drawing I have also added the contour line around the exterior.

Here is the final drawing showing the rock as well. I am not too thrilled about the stomach muscles, but it is a practice. I will try again on the full size drawing.

Highlight Drawing 2 with Charcoal

2009-12-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

I began a new sketch to determine my method for adding highlights to my series of drawings. I am using charcoal on this one. I like it right from the start! The blending is going very well; much better than color pencil. I think: Should I stop here? I keep going.

Here I am working on the highlights on the rock and beginning to add some dark values with pencil. I have decided to use the color of the paper as the middle gray value.

At this point I darkened the shadows and increased the brightness of the highlights. Still no outlines. I am thinking about that.

Now I am erasing and blending both the pencil shadows and the white charcoal highlights. This is the same pose as my very first drawing in the series which I began in June of this year. I have made some different decisions at this point. I added the pony tail; I left it off the first time. I have five values at this stage in the drawing: the gray paper, two highlights and two shadow values.

Hightlight Drawing 1 Complete

2009-12-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

This drawing is finished. I did it to work out the highlights. I used color pencil on this one, but it does not erase or blend well. I did a major change to the head today. I decreased the height from the ear to the top of the head and increased the space behind the ear. I also elongated the neck and shortened the chin. I am happy with the rock with the highlights.

Drawing in the Highlights

2009-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

In my series of large scale figures that I have been working on recently I used color paper and pencil or graphite. I did not add highlights with white charcoal or color pencil. So now I am beginning that process. To do that I am completing some sketches on a smaller scale. This drawing is only 18 x24 inches. The drawing above is the first experiment with highlights. I need to see what medium will work the best as a highlight: color pencil, white charcoal, white conte, etc. The top sketch is the first several hours effort. There are no exterior contour lines yet and just a little color pencil highlight. In the bottom drawing, the pencil dark values and the white color pencil value have been more fully developed. I have not addressed the rock yet. The arm is turning out well.

Thoughts on Life

2009-11-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

When I am drawing in my sketch books my mind wanders. Here is something that came to my mind while I was drawing recently.

Life is coffee, outside in the morning enjoying the breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees.

Life is birthdays.

Life is riding with your son in the car, when he suddenly bursts out laughing and tells you a funny story.

Life is waking up late in the summer.

Life is summer camp in the NC mountains.

Life is reading a comic book.

Life is sitting alone in a museum in front of a masterpiece.

Life is a song so beautiful ti makes you cry.

Life is homemade chocolate cake with M&Ms used to write the words.

Life is a roller coaster and tube rides with all your friends.

Life is sleeping under the bed or in the closet when you are eight years old.

Life is watching a TV series with your son.

Life is two people doing their different hobbies in the same room at night.

Life is sitting outside in the summer, listening to the cicadas and tree frogs battle of the bands.

Life is watching humming birds and bees fly around the flowers.

Life is listening to the rain.

From sketch book to art book

2009-10-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

I call these sketch book drawings. Some people say that they are not sketch books, but art books. I have some sketch books that contain drawings that are very different from these figure studies. In my other sketch books I put drawings of anything: leaves, notes, concepts, etc. In the sketches I am showing on this blog, I only put figure studies. So since they have a theme, some artists call them art books instead. That is a fine distinction, but its OK. I really zeroed in on the face on these drawings. Finally reducing the drawing to just one eye, the nose and part of the lips. The face is so fascinating with all its proportions, yet not in exact proportion. For this book I turned it sideways. Each drawing crosses over the gutter or seam of the book.

Figure Sketch Books

2009-10-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

"I'm not in the mood to draw!" My students say this to me a lot; I even say it to myself. You never know when inspiration is going to strike. Many times I get to my studio and I do not feel like doing anything, much less painting. So at times like that, I draw in my sketch book. I draw a lot of different things, but I draw figures most often. Some are made up out of my mind, many are just copied from magazines. The drawings above are from my figure sketch books. These are all in Moleskine books. I bought my first Moleskine book in Chicago on a trip in the 1990s. I had never seen one before. Then, for a few years, I had to order them from Chicago or New York. Now you can buy them any and everywhere. These are bound bristol like paper with a slight yellow tint. I use red prisma color pencils or conte pencils to draw with.

Paintings At Redsky Gallery in Epicenter

2009-10-16T11:46:00.001-07:00

In a change from the usual theme of this blog, I wanted to let you know about some of my architectural paintings. This painting and one other are on display in downtown Charlotte. They are in a gallery called Redsky in the Epicenter complex. The painting above, titled " Water Tower at Night", is an oil painting 24 x 18 inches in size. When I paint in oil, I use many techniques that I use in my drawings, for example, this painting was painted light to dark. So, I painted the sky first and then gradually added the darker parts until arriving at black. This is the water tower on Camden Road in Charlotte's South End Historic District. This painting was awarded a second place prize by Joie Lassiter in an urban landscape show in 2008.

Drawing Six Complete

2009-09-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

Drawing six is finished to the same level as the first five. I may go back into all the drawings and add some highlights with white color pencil or chalk. I will decide in a week or so. I want to live with all six drawings, at this stage, for a while. Just as in any major decision, I am going to 'sleep in it.' The shadow cast on the ground came out well in this drawing. It allowed me to do some interesting and different things with the shadows in the legs that I otherwise would not have been able to do.

Details of Drawing Six

2009-09-05T10:22:00.001-07:00

One of the reasons I selected this pose is because I love drawing peoples backs. They are fascinating, to quote Mr. Spock. The back has a great combination of dramatic bone and muscle structure that is easily seen. Also backs have a lot subtly of highlight and shadow. Above is the line drawing.

The shoulder blades are going to be key to the success of this drawing. I will put a great deal of detail into them before this drawing is finished.

At this stage, I began putting some details into the rock above her head. I did a lot of work on this darwing today.

Drawing Six Started

2009-09-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I have begun drawing 6. I decided that the last drawing should be a standing pose. So there will be two kneeling, two bent over, and two standing poses for these first six drawings in the series. Here is the initial line drawing with a little value added in the shadows.

Now I have begun to put in darker areas. In the drawing above there are only two values of shadows. I filled in the cast shadow on the ground. The cast shadow will determine some of the values in the figure, so I needed to get it in progress. I believe this figure will have short hair. Everyone asks if these are drawings of my wife, Maura. They are not. I used a professional model for all six of the drawings.

Now I have put a lot more detail in the back, darkening the shadows around the shoulder blades, spine, and legs.

Drawing Five Complete!

2009-08-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

I finished drawing five today. I say finish, I may still put white pastel highlights on all the drawings, but the pencil is done. I am very happy with this and the other bent over pose. To finish I spent time on details in the hands: more wrinkles and shadows. I also put a few more shadows on the face. I made her hair longer and darkened the shadow cast on the ground quite a bit. On the exterior contour line, I did not put one around the far arm or foot. Lack of the contour line helped push them into the back-ground. To bring the front arm forward, I strengthened the shadows on the through the middle of the arm and around the shoulder. Finally, I darkened the entire upper torso.

Drawing Five Near Completion

2009-08-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here is drawing five, close to completion. Today, I worked on the shadows. We artists like to call shadows values. First I worked on the rock's shadows. They were too regular. Rocks, like all natural things, are irregular. They still need further darkening. I added the exterior contour line. After looking at it now; I will probably make the lines darker still. I am pleased with the arm in the background; the value gradation turned out well. Where the hand comes close, but does not quite meet the shadow on the floor, is a nice tension. I'm going to darken the cast shadow on the ground below the figure. The shape of the cast shadow on the ground is more interesting than all the previous drawings.

Mid Painting Corrections

2009-08-25T05:22:00.001-07:00

For me at least, paintings never go perfectly. And that's OK. I took some photos of the process to correct a mistake in this large painting. The first image in this blog shows my initial sketch of the model. This is conte pencil on newsprint paper. In this drawing, I got the mouth and nose correct. In the middle of the painting, I stood back and looked long and hard. Also my classmates and the class instructor, Cornel Rubino, looked at it with a critical eye. We decided that the mouth and nose were wrong in the painting. The mouth was idealized and not a good representation of the models mouth. Sorry, I did not take of photo of how it looked then. So I examined the model's mouth and nose more closely and did a sketch. The model had a very large upper lip and a small lower lip. The second image shows this sketch. The nose is good, but the mouth is still wrong. Try, try again! Image three shows the second sketch of the mouth. This is it! So then, I painted the mouth and nose again. I also modified the edge of the face near the mouth. Image four shows a close up of the final mouth and nose. The final image above shows the scale of the final painting.

Size Matters

2009-08-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is a painting I am calling Insolent Boy. I painted it at the Arrowmont School for Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN. I spent a week at Arrowmont in a class taught by Cornel Rubino. He was a great instructor: meeting each student where they were and encouraging them to advance on their artistic journey. It was a fabulous class where I painted very differently from anything I have done in the past. The class focused on large paintings; all the paintings were at least 7 feet tall. Each day of the week I completed a painting. On Monday I did a pastel drawing of two figures nine feet tall by four feet wide. Tuesday I completed a horizontal painting in acrylic of two figures 9 feet long. On Wednesday, I did a nine foot tall acrylic of a rock star. Then on Thursday and Friday I worked on the painting above. It is on two pieces of paper for a size of 7 feet square. I painted directly from a model. This painting took two days to complete using a ladder a lot of the time to reach the high places. This is about 3 layers of paint, though some areas like the lower right hand corner have only one layer. I allowed the paint to drip when it did it naturally. The photos above are in my studio in Charlotte. I had to re-arrange everything to get this painting up on the wall. I am still working to hang and photograph the other nine foot tall paintings.

Demonstrations on Black Paper

2009-08-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

The above images were part of the Demonstrations exhibition. These drawings are all pastel on black paper. Sorry about the shine on the paper; I should use better paper.

Mike Watson wrote this as a gallery statement for the exhibit, so I thought I would share it with you.

The human figure has been the subject of drawings since prehistoric times. Figure drawing is an exercise in drawing the human body in its various shapes and positions. “Life drawing” is the process of drawing the human figure from observation of a live model. Figure drawing is arguably the most difficult subject an artist commonly encounters, and entire classes are dedicated to the subject. The human figure is one of the most enduring themes in the visual arts, and figure drawing can be applied to portraiture, cartooning and comic book illustration, sculpture, medical illustration, and other fields that use depictions of the human form. Figure drawing can be done very simply, as in gesture drawing, or in greater detail, using charcoal, pencil or other drawing tools. If pigment is used, the process may be called figure painting.

Figure drawing instruction is an element of most Fine Art and Illustration programs. Instructors specifically seek to avoid the sort of models preferred by fashion photographers, seeking more “realistic” examples and to avoid any implication of sexual objectification. Instructors often favor models of particular body types based on the unique contours or surface textures they provide. Life Drawing aids the artist in that it is one of the key methods of observation and seeing is a critical part of all art and design.

This exhibit focuses on the variety of techniques that instructors must ‘demo’ in the classroom setting. These pieces are intentionally incomplete, as their purpose is to instruct in the moment and they are not created to be viewed as a completed piece of art.

It is critical to show this type of work so that there is an understanding about the initial, principal, structure upon which all life drawing and for that matter all good design is based. The work is immediate, often taking only 10-20 minutes to create, although quick, these drawings and this method of instruction effectively, visually communicates the elements and principles of design to the students.

Drawing Five Progess during the Gallery Crawl

2009-08-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I drew a lot on this drawing during the Southend Historic District Gallery Crawl. The Gallery Crawl happens every first Friday of the month. My studio is part of the Southend Gallery Crawl, but the NoDa (North Davidson) arts areas also participates. Mark your calendars, the next gallery crawl is Friday, September 4th.

It is a little distracting to draw with so many people around, but I enjoy the conversations that I have with people during the event. At one point in the evening, I put the drawing up on my desk so I could work on the shadow cast on the ground, the hands, and feet. So, I got a lot done on the lower part of the figure. I generally try not to let one part of the drawing get ahead of the rest. I usually work on the drawing evenly, not concentrating on one part over any other.

Drawing Five Started

2009-08-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

Drawing five will be the second using the bent over figure. In this image, I have drawn the exterior contour line and begun the initial shadows. This pose is not so grim. The figure is looking up and also pressing up with her hands.

Draw Four Progress

2009-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

I am close to being finished with drawing four. I am very happy with the face on this one. The reflection in the hair is nice and so is the expression. The pony tail looks good in this drawing. One of the challenges of this series has been the face being blocked by the arms or the rock. The partial face has been harder to get right as opposed to when the whole face is exposed. The shadow on the ground is turning out well. I wanted the shadow to appear large indicating that the rock is very close to the ground.

Drawing Four Started

2009-08-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

When I first looked at the photos I gathered for this project, I did not expect to use the photos where the rock was on the models back. Now, in the middle of the project, I have re-examined these reference photos and decided to use them for the next two drawings. The weight is definitely getting the better of my figure now. All the problems of life are winning the battle. She is looking down, her mouth is open breathing hard, both hands are on the ground, and she is almost bent double her torso pushed down on top of her leg.

Drawing Three Finished - Return to Drawing Two

2009-08-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a detail of drawing three which is 80% finished. Now I have returned to drawing two for a while to work on the face and specifically the eye.

I mentioned in my last post that I did this out of a fault: perfectionism. Why is this a faulty? I just wanted to get it right! Julia Cameron talks about this in the The Artist's Way. On perfectionism she says, "It is a loop - an obsessive, debilitating closed system that causes you to get stuck in the detail of what you are painting and to lose sight of the whole." Getting mired in the details is one of the weights faced by artists and me personally. If not identified and stopped it derails me in painting series and other areas of life. I've seen perfectionism cause students to fail out of school. They can't stop and turn the project in!

So, I allotted myself only so long this morning to redo the face on drawing two. Then I will move on. "A paintings is never finished. It simply stops in interesting places, " said Paul Gardner.

The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron, is one of my favorite books. After reading if the first time I made a plan to become a professional artist in three years. One year later, I launched in the world as a full time artist. The book is very powerful. Be careful if you read it!

Perfectionism

2009-08-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here are drawings two and three together in my studio. After taking this picture, I allowed perfectionism to raise its ugly head. I erased the face of drawing two! I was unhappy with the eyes and the spaces between the eyes and the nose and eye brow. Now I am re-working it. Hopefully, the new face on drawing two will be better than the old face. That is a big problem for me, knowing when to stop and when to continue working.

Drawing 3 Almost Complete

2009-08-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Work on the standing pose is going well. A few things are different from the first two poses. The hair in this drawing is lighter or more varied in value; the pony tail does not show; and the ears show for the first time. At this point in the drawing, I believe that the eyes are too small; the mouth is too large, and the face needs more shadows. So I will work on that tomorrow. I will darken the rock near the arms. I am very happy with the stomach and legs at this point.

Drawing 3 Started

2009-07-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

With two drawings 80% complete, I've begun drawing three. After two crouching poses, I chose a standing pose for this one. The arms over the head were a challenge to work out. Crossed arms are always difficult to get to look correct and not like they are broken. As I worked on the exterior contour line, the legs and feet needed many adjustments. I want this figure to look like she is about to lose her balance, but not quite. She is on the precarious line between balancing the weight of the rock and having it knock her over.

This is approximately six hours of drawing. I've completed the contour outline and started the shadows.

Comparing Drawings 1 and 2

2009-07-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have finished the first two drawings to about the same point. They are not completely finished, but close to 80% done. I plan to finish the six drawings at the same time. Both are 75 inches tall on gray paper. Currently they are both on display at my studio as you see them here.

Both are crouching poses, but slightly different. The figure in the drawing on the left (drawing 2) has been pushed back on her heals by the weight of the rock. This drawing has an anguished look compared to the first drawing. In the left drawing, the shadow of the rock cast on the ground is much stronger as the rock is looming closer to the ground. I am pleased how the foot stands out from the cast shadow. Also, the shadows on the stomach muscles came out well.

Demonstrations Exhibition

2009-07-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

The image above is one a did a few years ago at a creativity seminar with Andy Braitman. This figure study was done on 300lb arches paper. First, I brushed on watercolor paint with a 2 inch brush. Finally, I drew into the wet paper with white and black charcoal pencils. I love the drips! I have taught figure drawing for the past nine years and I show this technique to my students during final weeks of class.

During July, an exhibition at the Art Institute of Charlotte called: Demonstrations includes this and other drawings my me and the other figure drawing instructors. The drawings range from quick one minute gesture drawings to longer more details poses. Stop by the Art Institute and see the show! The show includes drawings by these great artists: Mike Watson, Rea Legrone, Roger Hicks, & Don Michael.

Drawing 2 Detail

2009-07-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is a detail of the second drawing in my series called: Weight. Technically, I had to adapt the proportions of this figure a great deal from my reference material. In my sketches, I used pose books as a mentioned previously. For the large drawings (this one is 75 inches tall) I am using a model. I couldn't ask my model to hold a rock over her head for hours, so I had to take photos. So this drawing is based on a photographic reference. However, not entirely. Photos are a distortion or interpretation of life, not reality. So I use photos as a reference, but not gospel. I adapt my drawings: increasing the foot size, elongating parts of the arms and legs, etc. I do this so that the figure is correctly proportioned. People will accept things in a photo that do not look correct in a drawing.

Drawing 2 Begun

2009-07-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

I finished drawing 1 and started drawing 2. The facial expression on this drawing is more pained. The first drawing the face had a neutral expression. As the series progresses I may change the expressions to become more harsh. The reason that they are not in complete agony now is a comment on our society. We take the pressures we face with a great amount of stoicism. We don't want anyone to know that we are in trouble of being crushed by the rock suspended over our heads! As I read the paper, I am amazed that our society works so well in spite of all the hardships faced by everyday citizens. Due to my background, these are American figures. Developing countries face more pressure than we do in the U.S. This figure is determined to overcome her obstacles.

Detail of First Drawing

2009-07-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

I received a lot of support from people who came by the studio while I was working. They helped spot several problem areas. Initially the legs were to short, feet too small, and face to shrouded in shadow. Thanks for the critique! Many of my students dread critiques; I welcome objective suggestions! I stopped short of finishing the drawing completely until I have all six planned drawings complete to this level. Then, I will finish all six at the same time to gain consistency. Or at least that is the plan now!

First Drawing Started

2009-07-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

The first drawing is now about 80% complete. I went like gang busters on this one. I had been thinking about starting this series for so long, that once I started I worked on it for two straight days. I did not get any progress photos. Sorry, I'll do better on the second drawing; I promise. On my way to the studio, I looked at the hardware store for a door and decided buying a new one was too expensive. I didn't know how I would proceed when I arrived at the studio. I was a little bummed, thinking that I would be delayed. As I walked into the Charlotte Art League, where my studio is located, Bobby Underhill asked me if I had any use for the old door her husband had just removed from the bathroom! So, I rearranged my studio to accommodate the door and started drawing!

2009-07-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

The sketch above is the last preliminary sketch I executed. I asked myself what would happen if the rock began to win? I like to ask myself questions and answer them in my art. My metaphorical person is losing the battle to the pressures of society. So, I drew the rock coming down a quarter of the way into the drawing. When I show the sketches to people, they like this one the least. After this one, I felt it was time to begin the large scale drawings. I mentioned a pose book for artists in a previous post. I looked up the title of the one from 1966. The Human Form in Action and Repose by Phil Brodatz and Dori Watson. I see poses from this book all the time, even today. The artist Mobius used poses from this book for his drawings in Heavy Metal magazine. The word repose is so nice, but not too commonly used today. Here is a quote from the introduction: "Artist have endlessly labored to translate the facts of experience into the realities of art." Is there any reality besides art?

Lines and Shadows

2009-07-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

One thing I have done over the years lead to the concept for this series. I try to get to my studio as often as possible. I usually have some painting or project I am working on, so I always have something to do when I get there. However, sometimes the spirit is not in me to work on the project that is pressing. So, when that happens, I work on my figure studies. I have hundreds of sketchbooks full of figure studies now. These studies lead to my drawing the figures holding things and eventually rocks over there heads.

For this series, I have decided to use a thick, dark line to outline the highlighted side of the figure. Where the shadow meets the edge of a drawing, I will usually not use a hard line and let the dark values do the work of the line. Because of the rock being overhead, much of the figure is in shadow. Also, the rock and figure will cast a shadow on the ground. But this shadow will be minimal and hopefully not overwhelm the drawing.