One of the first tasks given to us was to choose an image to which we aspired in our own work and then attempt to copy the style.

Ishbel Myerscough, Girl, 2016, pencil and pastel on paper

Other images I liked included:

Rodin

Rembrandt

Claudette Johnston, Figure in Blue, 2018, Pastel and gouache on paper, 163 x 133 cm

A really interesting video of her working in her studio.

We were asked to copy some famous images using blocking in method. I struggled with this.

We were then asked to copy one of the images we had admired. I admire the extreme simplicity of line and the sensitivity of treatment by Ishbel Myerscough and attempted to copy it. Much more difficult than it looked!

During the session with the skeleton I made some sketches.

We were then asked to draw hands.

I did my husband’s feet at home.

Our first session with a model.

I went to a separate life class on 8 February

We then had a life model at class on 10 February. The idea was to use chiaroscuro techniques so I started with black conte crayon. They are terrible drawings but quick and I was concerned to try to get proportions and angles right though failed.

I then tried a pencil drawing but this was not at all successful – partly because I could hardly see in the directional lighting – but I overworked it and it got worse the longer I took.

I went back to conte crayon for the final pose with an extra lamp beside me and this was more succsssful. I was sitting at this point so didn’t step back to look properly but realised something was very wrong with the right arm – too narrow. Natalie helped me see this. I was pleased with the foreshortening of the left arm and the toes though I didn’t have time to finish fixing the left elbow and didn’t tackle the head at all.

I began looking through some books for new styles and techniques to inspire me. I found this one in Tony Godfrey Drawing Today and loved it. It is self-consciously modelled on Lascaux cave paintings and a great commentary on the series is found here.

Avis Newman, Cameo of Compulsive Repetition, 1986

Avis Newman, Lassitude Before Words , 1987. Acrylic, gauze, and ink on paper mounted on canvas. 

They are on a huge scale – 280 x 407 cm – as the exhibition photo from 1987 shows.

Her earlier work is stunning too.

Avis Newman, The Day’s Residues, 1981

Avis Newman, Figure who is No-one (East Wall), 1983 – 4

For commentary see https://www.avisnewman.com/context

These were done at a life class at the Old School on 15 Februry. I found the fleshier model more difficult than I expected. I dedided to ignore the head completely and focus on the flesh.

Life drawing at the Old School, Dumfries on 22 February.

These were the first two drawings of the afternoon, each from a 10 minute pose. I wanted to experiment with toned paper and coloured Conte. The lines are a bit shaky but I was focussing on trying to catch the proportions.

The legs look to wide and too long for the body. I think I over-compensated slightly from the perspective I was seeing from.

The left arm looks too long. It started shorter but then I measured carefully and it measured correctly. I came to the conclusion that it was the angle I was seeing it at – the model was posed slightly to my right and the extended left arm was long compared to the torso against which I measure. The right should extends too far to the right and is too big. Unfortunately, I didn’t leave enough space for the right foot. I spent quite a lot of time looking at the scapula and at where the left arm joined the shoulder.

I started again so as to get the right foot in but it had only been a 20 minute pose and although I was working very quickly I ran out of time before I could get to the left arm.

I came across these figures I drew last year and they reminded of my goal of loosening up my drawing to gain confidence.

By coincidence, at the class on 24 February, Natalie asked us to do the same, blocking in in 20 second poses. I was mostly using only the flat side of the pastel stick with no attempt at detail – but this is no excuse for the drawing of the arm in the standing figure bottom right.

We then drew a figure from imagination. I drew so heavily with the pastel that it became impossibleto make out the arm.

Natalie then sat for two longer poses – maybe 15-20 minutes – but the warming up didn’t do me much good as the results were poor, especially in the second one where the perspective is totally wrong. I partly blame the fact I was sitting down with the board on my outstreched legs and didn’t stand up to look at it.

Once again, I abandoned the head. I feel I need to spend time on heads alone before attempting to include them in the figure. Heads are a whole area in themselves and I will come back to working on them later.

Terrible as this drawing is and the proportions being completely off, there are things about it I like. It is very loose and it sort of represents how Natalie was standing at the easel – relaxed (the hand in the apron pocket) but also not relaxed (slightly self-conscious).