Twister?

Hello again!

Crikey - this blog is seemingly getting carried away, as they now become almost daily. From my well below par initial hope of posting twice a week, I now find myself going to the opposite end of the scale! Anyway, let's make the most of it while we can.

Last night I went to the weekly nude life drawing session, armed with my watercolours as per last week's attempts. Apart from missing the first 3 poses (they are around 1 minute per pose!) while I got set up (lesson learned before even starting), I also learnt one other invaluable lesson - but more of that shortly.

A male on his first ever nude posing assignment was our model for this evening, and he was excellent at it. The only comment being his shaven head (and face) was the most brightly coloured I have seen. It did look at times unnatural, but it was there in front of me. However, it worked very well, as the colours of his head ran and merged into the rest of his body colour with using watercolours.

Now, to my second lesson: last week I mixed five differing skin tones, but often failed to mix enough of each colour. Silly man, you may well say. There is actually very little time in between poses - probably enough to change sheets of paper, never mind mix colours! So, this week it would not be a problem, as having mixed my initial five tones, I added plenty of water to make sure I did not run out. Well what's the problem, I hear you ask? Your five skins tones, and enough of them so as not to run out - what could possibly be wrong with that? Plenty!

Once you have mixed what you think will be enough of each colour, you then have to either be a world Twister Champion, or be such a contortionist that you are able to sit still, and not let the colours run into the adjoining pan on your palette and merge into one yellowy - pinky lake! Doh!

Looking back though, last night I learned 3 lessons; set up ASAP, mix the correct amount of colour, keep your palette still.

But, I really enjoyed the session, and whatever your art, I hope you enjoy it too!

Paul