Eden - Drawing workshop demonstration

[Marvin Mattelson]

Last week I had the privilege of leading a drawing workshop in Atlanta at Binders Art and Framing in Buckhead. The following is one of the demonstrations I completed during the workshop. It was done from a live model using charcoal and white pastel on a toned Strathmore pad. This technique was inspired by the wonderful drawings of Prud'hon.

Follow the links if you would like to see the drawing in progress (http://www.fineartportrait.com/cours....html#anchor_2) or see a much larger version (http://www.fineartportrait.com/portr...workshops.html).

If anyone's interested, I'll be doing a drawing workshop in NY next week. The details are on my site.

[Michael Georges]

Marvin:

She is beautiful and the technique is just great.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Thanks Michael. I've loved the drawings of Prud'hon since first I saw them in a Prud'hon retrospective at the Met years ago. Unlike his paintings, the drawings are so dynamic, alive and powerful. The organic way he developed his drawings is so appealing as opposed to the more common way of drawing outlines and filling them in. When I've had time I've played around with trying to get into his head and try a similar approach, not stylistically but in basic essence.

It's a great way to develop the form, using the tone of the paper as a value based Mason-Dixon line. The key is the gradual build-up of the tones while keeping the black charcoal and the white pastel from overlapping each other. I love the way that the drawing is so easily adjustable. It's amazing to see the dimensional aspect manifest. As the drawing progresses even the most subtle tiny touches make things pop like crazy. t's very much like painting but without having brushes to wash out at the end of the day.

I also find that by keeping the linear aspect to a minimum I'm able to create a real sense of atmosphere. Once my students are given a proper explanation it's unbelievable to see how effective they become while maintaining their own sense of drawing style. And best of all, it strengthens their painting prowess considerably.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Marvin, what a beautiful drawing! I really like the way you used the toned paper and white highlights (sparingly). There's a sculptural feeling in the form of her head and an illusion of skin texture with only a moderate amount of detail.

[Linda Brandon]

This is beautiful, Marvin. I've been doing some drawings on toned paper lately and it really helps to see the closeups of the sensitive lines you've posted here.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Thanks Alex,

As I was developing the drawing my students were commenting on how the head seemed to be popping off the page. In terms of achieving dimensionality I believe it is more a function of artistic intention that merely replicating what we see. This manipulation is at the heart of my teaching in both drawing and painting.

Linda my dear,

I love working with the charcoal and chalk. It encourages the lightest of touches. By combining stumping, erasing and building up strokes, the manipulation of the values takes on very subtle proportions. This is what I've evidenced through my study of Prud'hon. I don't try to copy his exact style but just the general idea of how he built up his values.

It's also important to keep stepping back and viewing the drawing from a distance. Some things that seem barely discernible up close look quite defined from a distance, while seemingly disparate areas viewed up close meld together at a distance.

[Patricia Joyce]

So beautiful, Marvin. I find it difficult to go dark without burnishing the charcoal, but you created the values with a seemingly breathless simplicity, love it.

[David Draime]

Beautiful, Marvin. I too, love these materials, the great effects that can be achieved, especially the sense of atmosphere you describe. I've done a few from live models, but need to do a lot more...

Originally Posted by Marvin Mattelson

.It's also important to keep stepping back and viewing the drawing from a distance. Some things that seem barely discernible up close look quite defined from a distance, while seemingly disparate areas viewed up close meld together at a distance.

This so hugely important, and even knowing this, I find myself not doing it enough!

[Chris Saper]

I agree. My teacher, Bill Whitaker, calls it the artist's dance - moving constantly back and forth. Having studied with Bill for a number of years, I have come to think of it as Whitakers' Waltz. I also think of my teacher, Phil Beck, who said something to the effect "Don't get close enough to smell your painting"

Marvin, this is a lovely piece.

[Marvin Mattelson]

David, Patty and Chris, thanks for the encouragement. I wish I had the time to do a drawing every day.

I know when most people think of my work, they think detail first. Detail is just another weapon in the artists toolbox. Detail itself never can carry the load. When used intelligently and sparingly it can be quite effective, but the big aspects must be correct in order to support the smaller. Stepping back is the best way to achieve this.

Sargent was notorious for stepping back, since he worked sight-size. I believe he estimated his pacing back and forth were equivalent to a couple of miles per day. Would this be the 'Sargent Samba'?

I refer to my dance as the 'two-step'. I tell my students that if they want their work to take a step forward, they first need to take two steps back. Maybe 'Marvin's Mambo'?