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   Linda Gallant on 2017-11-23 at 5:44 pm

   Photos of the Figure Drawing Class of November 10th.

   The class had ten participants in attendance with four from Bathurst, three from MAC and three possible new members. The following article is about the workshop in detail;

   We spent the first hour sketching two minute poses after a brief review of gesture drawing techniques and discussing ratios of adult body proportions. We then took a coffee break which allowed us to examine each other’s efforts. The next hour was again drawing but this time we used contour drawings and went to longer poses of three and four minutes. The extra time per pose allowed for a more studied and more modulated line drawing that captured the detail within the figure. Students were encouraged to draw the draping of clothing, the person’s jaw line, hair line, fingers on hands (instead of just mitts), footwear instead of just a wedge. We looked for seams on clothing that defined the figure within and created a rounded form.

   We displayed all the work for discussion and evaluation. We looked at individual pieces that defined a movement or expressed a heaviness or mood. In this way we could learn from each other by studying the works in progress. It is worth noting that even at this early level you could identify each student’s work by their unique style. After all, what we were after was a way of seeing a human form and putting that on paper as directly and as simply as we could within a limited time. There was no attempt at teaching a technique. More importance was placed on the lift of a shoulder or a curve of a hip to show the stance, the weight of the figure or the character of the pose. This was a challenge for most but early on a few “got it” right away. That was quite gratifying for me because I knew this was all new to the students. Now we were working at a higher level.

   During lunch we all sat around the dining room table and just relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company over brown bagged lunches and coffee, tea and homemade cookies.

   The afternoon session was a continuation of what we had absorbed from our morning figure drawings. This time we concentrated on creating a composition with three or more seated figures at work using props such as the drawing boards, chairs, easels and tables that served to link the figures together. Things could be omitted to cut down on clutter in the composition but nothing could be added that wasn’t already there (golden rule: Don’t draw what you don’t see). A short discussion on creating these focal points allowed people to break into smaller more intimate groupings to form clusters that overlapped or sat facing in different directions. This was quite a challenge for many who hadn’t thought of composition as the key to creating a finished piece. Many made view-finders to help them sight a suitable arrangement. However, the Bathurst crew had brought theirs from another session and just got on with it. Finally after about an hour of decision making in linking the figures in interesting arrangements with all the necessary props, the time had come to discuss how we could use paint to turn the composition into a finished painting.

   Since we had only an hour or so left, I decided to limit the choice of colours to two primaries only adding black to create shade or tones with the addition of white. I encouraged experimenting with mixing colours even using both primaries together to make various secondary colours, then adding black or white, or both black and white together, to make monochromatic colours. Most had never handled colours at such a technical level and colour mixing was a real eye opener. The work was truly more varied and diverse also more nuanced and therefore more subtle than they had ever imagined. Of course we ran out of time but what was exciting was that the students were eager to continue the work at home now that they knew the path to take with colour. It was also reassuring that they already had the composition laid down and if they weren’t happy with the colour they had started with they could always change what didn’t seem as satisfactory. Painting can allow for greater experimentation when you are unsure of what to do next. Let it dry, try another colour over it.

   I wasn’t able to get photos of everyone’s work before they cleaned up so that others could see the vast variety of colours used and compositions created. Some emailed me pictures of their completed work already framed and matted for which I was very grateful. Now I have to finish my own sketch by working it into a finished painting.

   This was a very enjoyable experience for me and I’m looking forward to having a third session, perhaps on creating interiors.

   I will see you in the new year.

   Linda Gallant,
   President of MAC

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