Black Coffee

Why, hello there!

You all know I like to start off with a welcome to new followers of the blog, after all, it's only right - you have made the effort, and today I welcome BJ and Carl - you are very welcome, and I appreciate your support.

Still sober? Why? - (Oh it's only a bit of fun, don't go getting upset.) But, if you are, this will be the best blog you have ever read! If you need to have a black coffee, then go get one now.

Only a couple days left to the New Year, and if I'm honest, I reckon I think more of this time than the rest of the holidays. We all have different thoughts, beliefs etc. and I think the end of the year certainly does mark some form of closure on many things, and the chance of new projects and experiences in the year ahead.

As some sort of artistic resolution - there are projects I would like to get more involved with:

• making more of the Life Drawing Class and progressing with my watercolours, concentrating on upper torso's as opposed to trying to get a full pose in during the allotted time;
• trying more portraits in acrylics;
• more cartoons, maybe some gouache and pen and ink samples too;
• a couple of larger acrylics done on hardboard (a surface a enjoy working on);
• and lastly, consider exhibiting my work a little more.

That sounds enough to me - we cannot all be masters of all things, even though at times we may all try, but it's the trying and succeeding that is half the fun of it!

Here is a small selection of what I have done so far at the Life Drawing Class, and as the weeks go by, I want to show some form of improvement. If you look at these too, you will be able to see things where I have gone wrong, and try work out improvements for yourselves, sort of an online class where we work together.

This one I found hard to get his left foot looking something like, which spoils what was turning out to be fairly reasonable work. The colours I was happy with, and this chap has the reddest head of anyone in the world I have ever seen! Before anyone asks - not just reflected from the red blanket.

Well here we are, the last two pictures for today, and I hope you can see something in them. They were both on the same sheet, but I have cropped them somewhat.

They are both done on the Saunders Waterford 300lb Rough paper. Skin tones I feel are getting there, made with my usual mix as described in one of the previous posts. But I hope you can see the pale tones as opposed to the richer one in the male above, done on the Turner 140lb paper - the difference is quite clear I think.

Right - that's enough for this post I reckon.
Time to close methinks.


The figures I know are not perfect by any means - it was the first time I had seen a female nude model and I was shy! But there is something there - and with plenty of practice and some committment on my part, they may well get there yet.

Until next time - whatever your art - enjoy it, and why not make your own resolution and pick that pencil or brush up and have a go!

Regards,

Paul