Life Class is something I never thought I'd participate in. But it really is an exercise for simply better skills in drawing for life, recording and accurately measuring with the best tool you could possibly have, your eyes.
From day 1 I have joined in with life class and tried to make a real effort, with our model Rick, a middle aged average man.
Life class once a week really does shake up your week.
During year 1, we began with the basics, getting comfortable and settling in. We did warm up excerisises and practically learning and really observing correctly.
As the weeks continued, our drawing skills grew in confidence, we began to record accurately, in full proportion and with a good structure, but just in simple pencil for now. It is difficult at times, but all in good practice!
As we developed, we began to introduce tone by really highlighting the shadows and highlights on where the light is really captured upon the skin and how to demonstrate this through the use of a pencil. Using tone in the correct way can also encourage formal elements such as form, shape and really getting the 3D aspect of the human pose.
Again we began to experiment with varied media's, coloured fine liner to really define those tonal areas and proportion of our model. Bringing other props into the still life also helped to distinguish where to accurately record the composition, with the help of the parallel lines of the table. It also brought a different perspective into the varied angles we observed our model.
This time we really began to look further into the human structure. By using a tonal grid key and the use of water colour paints, using a gradient of colour to highlight and conceal the different tones of the skin and areas of the body. For example a darker shade of colour is to demonstrate the shadows and concealed areas hidden from the light on the body. The lighter colours highlight the areas that are exposed by the light. This also helps to encourage the 3d shape and form of the body.
Introducing dark tones of acrylic paint, using only black and white, and our knowledge of hints and tints from visual studies, to create the same conception with colour to highlight and show to the lighter and darker areas, to encourage again those formal elements of tone and form.
Using collaged papers underneath drawings really adds experimentation and different effects as you work over the papers with varied media's. Using oil pastel and water colour over brown parcel paper, lined paper and newspaper really adds different effects and depth upon the paper.
For my FMP towards the end of year 1, we could work in any style of media we wanted to, which we felt was the most successful during our sessions over the months. I chose to work in half oil pastel and crayon, and then half water colour. It really shows the distinguished difference between the two effects and how these two media's compliment each other. I decided to use different shades of pink and green. Green for the darker areas and pink for the lighter areas. My decisions for this was influenced from an artist that I had researched and found. I was inspired from their use of techniques which is was I decided to experiement with in the FMP.
Aswell as drawing the full stance pose, I decided to record different aspects and sections of the body individually, like a sort of jigsaw upon the paper, where I could really zoom in and bring out that definition of detail.
The way I had to apply my media was rather fun, but as an individual I pay attention to detail so it was harder for me to loosen up and really go for it. Eventually I managed it, by using gestural aggressive strokes and marks along with my own personal touch of delicate application.
Overall rather successful, regardless of a very pink Rick at the end!
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