Today's long pose

[Julia Reynolds]

Here is my sketch from my regular Tuesday life drawing group.

The model really fell asleep and would begin to slowly, almost imperceptebly begin to tilt backwards making actual measurememts difficult. Oh well, I have so much fun studying, even under the most maddening conditions.

[Michael Georges]

Julia: This is another great one! I really like the skin tones - very natural. You say measuring became difficult. Do you use any measuring technique that you can describe?

Someone once described the model moving as "chasing the pose".

[Julia Reynolds]

Ha, I never heard that one. I like it. It rings true.

I am familiar with the method of holding a pencil up and aligning and comparing distances but I wasn't comfortable with it. Especially if the model was drifting! All my measuring was useless.

I trained myself and I rely on my ability to do it strictly by eye. I also focus on the characteristics of a face, i.e.: does the person have close set eyes, large nose, high forehead, etc. So if the model drifts I still have "knowledge" of his/her face. Anyway, much of it I can't explain, it is instinctual. It's just the way I do it and have found I get an acceptable likeness which I stress even in a life drawing workshop.

Hope this answers your question.

[Chris Saper]

Julia,

Lovely sense of light and color harmony!

Nice job.