Drawing the Bangarra Dancers!!!

 

 

I had an absolutely awesome time with the Toronto Urban Sketchers on Friday. We were invited to draw the Bangarra Dancers, from Australian, as they warmed up the morning of their performance. Then, some of us returned that evening for the actual performance, called "Spirit", which celebrated their 30 years as a dance company. 

I used charcoal pencil and newsprint and just drew as fast as I could! They did not stop moving. Their idea of an hour warm up was a work out like I've never seen. Truly spectacular dancers! Very inspiring. 

Lines!!

This portrait sketching exercise is about drawing fast, using as few lines as possible (I tried to stick to 20...) and using both the point and side of the pencil. I loved this process. I wish I did them on artist quality paper. They are on newsprint and I have yet to learn the lesson, always use good paper! ; )

some faces!

 

Prismacolor Coloured Pencil Portraits. Hmm... despite having fun with coloured pencils recently, they just aren't for me. They loose their point quickly because they are so soft (wax), unlike pencils (graphite). I gave it three chances and now I'm moving onto something else.

Also, they are very difficult to erase. Uh oh!

; )

little door

Here's another drawing from Riverdale Farm, with Sepia Prismacolor coloured pencil on newsprint. This time I remembered to take step by step pics along the way. ; )

Prismacolor Coloured Pencils

Some fellow artist and I from, the Toronto Plein-Air Group, met at the awesome Riverdale Farm to do some sketching. In order to take colour out of the equation and get back to basics, I decided to draw with Prismacolor Coloured Pencils on newsprint. 

 I used Sepia because it's a nice warm brown (although it's a bit hard to tell with my location photos). Newsprint is equally good and bad. It's soft so it's lovely to draw on. It 'takes' so many drawing media, like pencil, coloured pencil and charcoal, so nicely. But, it yellows over time since it isn't acid-free. Very  frustrating! So, I'm on the search for a paper than is smooth like newsprint and allows erasing as easily. I guess I'll have to go back to my favourite place... the art store. ; )

 Here's a detail. 

So great to be back out there plein-air drawing. I've only been twice this summer. That'll have to change!

sketching 100 people challenge continued

Well, not quite 100. And not quite a week, as the challenge was a 'work week' and ended today. 

thinking about design and line...

portraits of a dude

across the cafe and wearing plaid

The above sketches were drawn with Prismacolour Colour Pencils, mostly with Black Grape, which is an awesome colour. Very smooth pencil, especially on newsprint. And below, 6B pencil (my favourite). 

dog treats

making interesting shapes

These photos were taken with my iPadPro where they look great. It turns out, they don't look so good here... Hmm.

You can see even more of my sketches of people on my Instagram page! Check it out.

Tree Studies

A few long overdue tree studies.

Save the Rhino Day!

Today is Save the Rhino Day!

I drew this with 6B pencil on newsprint.

Teaching and Horses

The lovely talented artists in the Self-Portrait Drawing Class I'm teaching did wonderful on Thursday night!

And... today I did a little 'horse homework'. 

Awesome App!

I just discovered this awesome app/website called Quickposes. I'm working towards a 'certificate' they offer, 10 hours of drawing gestures in 20 days (30mins a day/2 minute poses). They are really great models. I used charcoal pencil on 11x14"newsprint pad. : )

Watercolour Demo - April 13, 2015

If you're in Toronto on Monday April 13, 2015, I'll be doing a watercolour demonstration! Actually, first I'll be talking a bit about life drawing short poses, since so many fellow life drawing artists will be there, then I'll be doing a flower demo. There will be cookies!

Art Show Entry and Sketches

The Life Drawing Group I belong to is having a group art show at The Heliconian Club, 35 Hazelton Ave. Toronto from Feb.2 - Mar.2. We are showing two paintings each that we painted while in session. These are 10 minute poses done on one 11x14" page. I do a lot of life drawing and it's great however, it doesn't teach any perspective... that's a whole other thing. So, I spent today doing speed sketches from a high angle. Here are a few...

turtles and fishies

Next month I'm teaching a third session of classes for the Cawthra Art Group here in Toronto. They are enjoying my exploration of animal drawings lately and asked for a few classes about animal anatomy. Although somehow, last time I opened up my animal sketchbook, I ended up doing a page of turtles and fish! It was fun but I think we'll be stickin' with mammals : )

2 minutes each

This week's Life Drawing Session was great, as usual, and this male model always does interesting poses. These are charcoal pencil on newsprint. Once the longer (5minute - 20minute) poses start, I use watercolour. My New Years Resolution is to do these quick poses with watercolour too... although getting a drawing and wash down that fast is tricky!!