Nude Study

[Richard Bingham]

20 x 16" oil on canvas. Perhaps this isn't appropriate here, I note a request not to post sketches.

I have been attending a life "drawing" session on Wednesday evenings for a little over a year now, since I discovered the group. I'm not a fast painter, and since one "set" involves four-minute poses, when time posing the model, breaks, visiting, and all are accounted for, I'm lucky to have an hour and a half working time in a three-hour session. So much for excuses . . . comments welcome.

[Sharon Knettell]

Nice firm modeling here Richard.

So few here spend time working from life there is not an appreciation of just how difficult it is to get this much done in such a short time.

Weel done espcially the colors in her brown skin.

[Richard Bingham]

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

So few here spend time working from life . . .

:shock: Say it isn't so, Sharon! :shock: (and thanks for the kind words)

I know the pressures of "modern" time constraints mean that we all must depend on photo references to some degree . . . but I can't imagine not having a painting basis in a life sitting, if even for an hour or two . . .
How do you "solve" this problem?

[Sharon Knettell]

Originally Posted by Richard Bingham

:
I know the pressures of "modern" time constraints mean that we all must depend on photo references to some degree . . . but I can't imagine not having a painting basis in a life sitting, if even for an hour or two . . .
How do you "solve" this problem?

I don't know Richard, but I don't have cable, an Ipod or a new car but I pay for my own models.

[Judson Eneas]

This is a nice impressionistic style figure painting. I do however think that the eyes are disproportionate. You need to do something about the eyes.

[Richard Bingham]

Originally Posted by Judson Eneas

. . . You need to do something about the eyes. . . .

Jud, thanks for looking, thanks for the kind words. It's a sketch . . . no going back, alas, it's all I could do in an hour and a half working time. I think you're right, though, and there are a lot of things I would do something about, given enough time with repeated sessions before the model.

My big gripe with these sessions is that week to week, even with the same model, the pose, setup, lighting, et al are changed. It's geared to drawing, really.

[Richard Jones]

I like what you have here, Richard. I also appreciate the difficulty in getting this much done in an hour and a half (I'm barely finished applying values at that point ).

On a side note, most of the sessions I've attended devote about the first 10-20 minutes on quick one to five minute poses, and then twenty minute poses, with one 30+ minute pose to end the session. It's a little frustrating to start on something but never have time to finish it, or at least address some of the shortcomings you see in the painting. Hats off to you for getting this much completed.

[Richard Bingham]

Richard, I think the pressure of having to work fast did me quite a bit of good. We also have the 5 minute quick poses, that shoots one "set" with the model. At least the remainder of the time is devoted to a single pose.

I question the value of 5 minute poses. I think it harks to a life drawing methodology developed by Kimon Nicolaides in his book "The Natural Way to Draw" which somehow became quite univesal in college art departments 35-40 years ago, and I question its validity . . . as I question his "clumped wire" approach to figure drawing . . . personally, I think both (5 minute "gestures" and the "wire") are counter-intuitive, unintelligent, and a waste of time.

[Carol Norton]

I question the value of 5 minute poses. I think it harks to a life drawing methodology developed by Kimon Nicolaides in his book "The Natural Way to Draw" which somehow became quite univesal in college art departments 35-40 years ago, and I question its validity . . . as I question his "clumped wire" approach to figure drawing . . . personally, I think both (5 minute "gestures" and the "wire") are counter-intuitive, unintelligent, and a waste of time.[/QUOTE]

What an interesting thing to say! I have always THOUGHT that and never said it, even used it as an occasional exercise in my own classes. The only thing I thought made it of value was possibly to get the pencil moving and to look at masses. What a fun place this site is!

[Richard Bingham]

Carol, your comment that it serves to "get the pencil moving" is probably the crux of its usefulness. I have really never been in a position to be around folks who are "totally innocent" of drawing, much less try to instruct them. I think that would be valid . . . for the first session . . . for about . . . 5 minutes -chuckle-

The "population" of the sessions I attend is comprised of one professor emeritus of art, one retired secondary art instructor, several graduate students, and a few "professional artists". They cling to these five minute poses like a mantra, saying they need to "warm up" . . . perhaps it takes them back to drawing 101 ? I want to know who's cold ??

I wonder how many other "art school" habits are formulaic, yet inefficient?