VISIT FROM SANDRA

Sandra came to tea and looked round at my numerous hanging works around the home. She was amused to find three nude figures of herself in my bathroom, as I met Sandra when I was attending life drawing and she was the model! She introduced herself to Clive, my husband, with ' you might not recognize me now as I have my clothes on today'!!
Here is the painting created from three sketches which Sandra could hardly recognise as I altered her size in each pose for the composition and she has now lost a stone in weight!! (you may have seen this painting before as I posted it in April just after it was created)



Sandra has just finished her project as co-designer for the Christmas Show at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich 'Merlin and the Cave of Dreams' and is currently working on a series of Norwich paintings ready for an exhibition in Rouen with the Norwich 20 Group.

Todays project was to look at how one creates a blog - so she can't wait to get home and try.

RETURN TO LIFE DRAWING SESSIONS

After a summer break we returned to Foxley Gallery for our Tuesday life drawing sessions with Claire. I took along a beautifully eggshell covered Daler Rowney 150 gsm sketchbook 10 x 9 inches with wonderful smooth paper and a set of 6 graphitint pencils, water brush and sepia pens. They turned out quite gentle - so I think theres need to enlarge each image to see better detail.

Have created this post before dinner (Clive's cooking tonight) as I shall be away for a couple of days delivering the work to the country inn for their converted barn accommodation. Tell you what she finally chooses for the five suites when I get back.

BARNSDALE GARDENS RUTLAND

On the Saturday whilst at Anitas we decided to drive to Rutland about an hour away to visit the Barnsdale Gardens, home of Gardeners World BBC2 tv programmes. It comprises 37 small gardens over 8 acres and it took us another hour strolling round trying to decide where to paint and sketch for the day. After a well deserved early lunch break in the tea rooms gardens in lovely sunshine, we went our separate ways.

My first effort was a quick sketch in watercolour paper of the ladies enjoying an outdoor lunch in the sunshine planning yet another trip somewhere together once they got their diaries sorted out!! When I got home I put in the colour from memory and then stuck the small watercolour into my moleskin sketchbook.

My main day's watercolour painting was very comfortable on a bench with wide arms that acted as a table for my watercolours, pot and pens. It faced a beautiful collection of pastel coloured flowering shrubs and trees spreading round a lovely curve of lawn. I had a lot of visitors and kindly comments, although most of the time it looked like a dabble of abstract colour, as I decided to simply place the colour shapes in and finish with some penwork.

After another break for cold drink as it was very warm and sunny most of the day, we settled nearer to each other , either side of a greenhouse. I bravely sketched it from start in pen - and as you can see have yet to add colour. Afraid the deckchair is a bit wonky - very difficult!!!

Thats the end of my sketches during my 5 days with Anita and I think I must get on with some acrylic decorative canvas work I have to deliver on 25th Sept. . .so bye for now.

WEST NORFOLK ARTISTS EXHIBITION ENTRIES

This submission for the East Norfolk Association's summer exhibition in Kings Lynn is called DANCING ON WATER. It was created with acrylic inks poured over each other with liquid diluted liquitex acrylic paint onto flat canvas sheet - a method I use when I want 'spiritually' inspired figures . Shapes appear which I then develop. It made me think of 'Walking on Water' demonstration by Jesus but more contemporary and 'dance' like - thus the title. Framed up in silver with a double white mount as if it were a watercolour painting, it measures 24 x 15 inches.

Then, of course, there is the one I have been posting as it developed - the FONT AT ST NICHOLAS. Here it is completed in its French sycamore frame.


Since my last post only been working on a commission which they do not want publicised , so thought these might be of interest. Quite pleased with the effect of the lighting in the chapel oil painting. Been preparing greetings cards from this work today for sale at the exhibition.

KRAFT PAPER LIFE DRAWING

I was staying at my daughters and left Tues to go straight to life drawing session in the afternoon so decided not to take too much equipment. Thus I bought a roll of kraft paper (sold as post office wrapping paper for a £1) and boxed up some white chalk, conte stick and charcoal to put in my weekend case. These were the results. Great fun and very direct.
Sorry Claire your thigh looks remarkably large - but I think there was some perspective in this as it was nearer to me - well thats my excuse..

When we got to the last pose of the session, I was very tired so decided to simply play a little and the outcome was the hand on the thigh and a view of one of Claire's feet.

THIS WEEK'S LIFE SESSION with Derwent Wash pencils

All these sketches this week were drawn with a new set of Derwent sketching wash pencils. I have a lovely set in a silver metal tin, with two light wash, two medium and 2 dark wash. The tin comes supplied with a sharpener and I obtained all this for around £5 from a special offer I think from the SAA (been ordering lately from them and Ken Bromley so not sure). I used my waterbrush to bleed out the graphite for shading and as you can see the dark wash came in handy for Claire's beautiful hair. They were either 10 or 15 minute poses so although I spotted lines that needed correcting I did not have time to put right.
Oops I seem to have made her right foot rather large!
Ran out of paper on my pad with this lovely twist and legs look a bit narrow.
Shape of face not correct.
It was the feeling of leaning with this one I wanted to capture so not worried about not completing the legs.

THIRD WEEK WITH NEW MODEL USING WATERCOLOURS

OOPS I'VE MADE A TYPICAL JOANNIE ERROR HERE - I've posted all the images and text re my last life drawing session in MY GALLERY BLOG because I was working on this earlier. Dont know how to move it across to here so ...... would you mind clicking on the LINK on the RIGHT and taking a peep in THE GALLERY - thats if you want. !!!!!! I just know the kind of comments I'm going to get this time - 'what a twerp' 'how can she be so useless' and for those kindly souls ' well Joannie this is how you transfer it all... ' ... but heres a little taster

LIFE DRAWING SESSIONS WITH NEW MODEL

These first three images were from last week (the afternoon before I hurt my back) and I had to wait to see our new model at Foxley Studios to get permission to post them. All done in my lovely smooth hard backed sketch book 12 x 8 inches using pen and a little wash and charcoal pencil.

These next three are from this week. She is a great model - only trouble I was a bit late this week having driven up from my daughters and she was doing some early 2 mins poses - yes just two minutes!!!! but Ive posted those she held for 10 tor 20 mins later in the session. Also done in pen with inktense greys/charcoals and a little water and a began to use a touch of inktense red for the middle one but didnt have time to take it any further.

LES TROIS FEMMES

Many a time I have been told I should do something with my studies at the life drawing sessions at the Foxley Gallery which I post here on my blog from time to time. When over at Anitas this last weekend I discovered some of them in the boot of my car. I needed a change from sketching in my moleskin little book and thought it would be great fun painting with Anita in her studio. So we decided to use our own life drawing session work (Anita attended a group at Whittlesey until recently) to create acrylic paintings on canvas.
I chose three studies and grouped them as above by going straight in with the brush, but adjusted the size of each figure to suit the composition. Unusually, I kept the paint quite thin and the lovely rough linen (almost like fine sand paper) showed through. I added thin colours one over the other trying to create a modern piece. I added the window and door at the back to give variety to all the curves of the model's body.

Maybe Anita will post her's on her blog soon. Sorry I cant here now I am at home as I have no photo of the unusually bright purple and torquoise work she achieved from her life drawing sketch. It was strange as we seemed to exchange styles as we worked together on our own pieces.

THIS WEEK'S LIFE SESSION

Seems my days are getting more busy as we come into the Spring. Need to work into the small hours (like someone I know Anita!!) to find time to add regularly to my art blog. These were drawn on Tuesday and didnt have time when I got back home. Then yesterday went with an art friend who lives in the City (Norwich) to see the PRE RAPHAELITE DRAWING EXHIBITION at the Norwich Castle Museum. In the next gallery were drawings from the Norwich Collection selected to show how artists have used drawing techniques from the 17th Century. Interesting informative day with great company and lots of chat.

These are out of order from how they were drawn at the session, but this first one posted was a pose requested by one of the session members who is a sculpture and he wanted our model to curl up as small as possible. I started at the knees as I loved the lines but didnt have time for the head!!!!

This actually was the second pose of the day and she was very relaxed. 'Fraid I made your legs even longer than they are in life, sorry miss model. As for your left foot - well I've made you size 12 I think!!

This was very interesting with the model leaning on a double base stand. She always thinks of something interesting and brings in a prop or two to tax our brain power!.

THIS WEEKS LIFE CLASS

I was at our weekly life drawing session on Tuesday, but then went straight on to my daughters to help her move house. So only just got round to posting some of the drawings having returned home this evening. These two were done on A4 coloured pastel paper with charcoal and chalk - giving me three colours. The first image is of our model sitting on a large squiggy leather white pouf (is that how you spell it?) with a blanket over the top and I drew it on bluey/grey pastel paper. It was most unusual as this was the first pose of the session and the longest at 15 mins.



The second drawing I have posted was later in the session and as all the others a most difficult pose to recreate. I used pink pastel paper and again charcoal and chalk. I know the left arm is too narrow but I was concentrating on the foreshortening which I found difficult to achieve for some reason. If I had more time I would have improved the realism (I hope).

TODAY'S LIFE DRAWING SESSION

This, in fact, was my second sketch of the afternoon, drawn with green graphitint pencil and a little watercolour applied, with the water blending the outline.

This was the hardest pose - and how our model kept hold of her foot for so long I have no idea. Isnt she marvelous?? Again drawn with graphitint pencil and a little very wet watercolour added.


The final pose was the quickest to use up the final moments of the session, so I sketched it with a charcoal stick and added a little colour... and as you can see only tackled the top portion of the pose. When I wet the charcoal shadows they softened beautifully. Its fun to try different techniques each week.

LIFE DRAWING SESSION

Its Tuesday - so life drawing get together at Foxley. Here are my efforts today. Mostly pen plus a little soft pastel rubbed in with a cloth. Either 10 or 15 min poses held most wonderfully by our model. She sure gets herself into some awkward places - and awkward to draw!!!!

LIFE DRAWING WEEKLY SESSIONS

Here are a couple of pastels on coloured pastel paper I did before Christmas break -
surprised how well the soft colours worked on the pink background.


After a holiday break yesterday the interesting 5 position sketch was an idea of our model (who is also an artist) to stand with arms out and move every 5 minutes around in a circle. I used my new Inktense pencils - different colour for each pose. It was great fun with not a moment to 'think'.

To be able to hold her arms above her head for a length of time, our model brought in a cane to hold onto and I did this in pentel black pens of varying width and added some skin tones in watercolour pencil and then added water with my brush that holds water in the handle

Since moving to Norfolk last summer I attend these weekly life drawing sessions at a gallery in Foxley and the model is wonderful putting herself into awkward, tense positions for short sketches and even standing on a stool holding onto the beams in the gallery... must have been a barn conversion. . As you may see, I love just doing a portion of the pose where the lines attracts me most. Simply did her feet when we arrived yesterday to get me into the right mood/mode.