amberdreams: (Bum)
amberdreams ([personal profile] amberdreams) wrote2017-03-10 02:49 pm

Arty things - update

The sketchbooking class has been interesting - I can't say I'm enjoying everything we're doing but it is certainly great for pushing me outside my comfort zone! The last few of weeks he's been getting us to look at uses of colour to imply distance, suggest relationships between objects and create interest. The three pictures below are the results of my efforts.
First was an attempt to show distance through shades of colour. I'm not sure that what I did followed his instructions, because he was talking about using bluer shades for the more distant objects, and I didn't do that. The painting is pretty naff, but I did enjoy messing about with these colours.
P1420321
Then we had to try using bold colours, working pretty abstract, juxtaposing random and counter-intuitive items together. That's the one on the right hand side here. I actually hated doing this one. It's like a combination of everything I dislike doing! Oh and you have to turn your head, it's supposed to be viewed landscape. Not that it makes much difference, but then you can probably see it's a bowl of (blue) oranges with buildings in the background.
P1420358
While the one on the left was this week's effort, and though I can't seem to get the gouache to do what I want it to, I actually liked this one, for the colours alone. This was trying a different modern artist's technique, and I tried to pick out the highlight colours from the photo ref I was using. Having a brain like a sieve, I can't remember the three artists we were supposed to be emulating.

Then last night I went to my friend Lois's life drawing class in an upstairs room in a pub called the Thomas Wolsey. I'd never been inside that building before and I'm going to have to take my camera next time, because it's a fascinating place! It's 15th century with mullioned windows, wooden panels and oak beams everywhere, and the room next door to the one we were using for the class had some awesome pargetting with lions and flowers and stuff.

The last time I did any life drawing was in 6th form, so I didn't really know what to expect, though at least I knew Lois, and Kaz, the other girl who organises the class. They get a different sitter most weeks but this week it was a guy called Colin, who I used to see a lot when I used to go to the Veggie cafe for lunch. He looks like he's at least part native American, though whether North or South I don't know. Anyhow, he's a brilliant model! Wow, the poses he went for!

We had a round of 2 minute poses to warm up - brother, I am rubbish at that! I've barely put pencil to paper before it's time to change. Colin does yoga and his first pose was standing on one leg holding the raised foot in one hand with one arm outstretched. I couldn't even get into that pose without falling flat on my face, let alone hold it for two minutes! LOL

So here are a few of the sketches I did of Colin from the longer poses (ranging from 5 -20 minutes each). NB these are the ones the NSFW tag was about!
1. Conte Sepia pencil and HB pencil
P1420355
2. Conte Sanguine pencil
P1420354
3. Black biro (ball point!)
P1420352
4. Conte Pierre Noire pencil & HB pencil
P1420351
5. Conte Sanguine pencil
P1420353
I tried some different media for a change. Next time I might do what one of the blokes in the class did and take some fixative spray!

So yeah, if you stuck with this post to the end, well done! I'm really sticking these entries here for the record as an art diary for me.

[identity profile] somersault-j.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I have no knowledge about the arty things you're talking about above, but I can appreciate the products that come out of it! Beautiful! And man, those poses. Yep. Yep yep yep! I can definitely appreciate those!

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I was so impressed with the poses - some of the quickie ones were even more dramatic! When I go to the next one I'll be disappointed if we get a different model :D

[identity profile] tripperfunster.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 04:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Your life sketches are lovely. The have a nice ... stretch? Movement? to them? I don't think I"m explaining that right, but you've almost taken what you've seen and embellished it to give it more life? I would love to join some sort of art club.

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Gosh thanks, that's a lovely compliment! I've been meaning to do something for years and I'm glad I've finally got round to it. Is there nothing available near you? The life drawing is just a small group of people, it isn't tutored at all, but the sketchbooking is a more formal night school type class so we do get feedback. It's all useful - I just needed to get drawing using traditional instead of digital! It feels brave!

[identity profile] milly-gal.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 05:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve walked in from work as I loaded this tab, which obviously doesn't load the whole of that top painting in one, and he said, "Owwww, that's pretty!" to which I replied it's you (ya know, your actual name) and then continued to scroll. We got down to #2 picture and it had only half loaded. He said, "Is that gonna have a penis in it?" to which I then replied, "Probably, it usually does!" LOL! And it doesn't, how disappointed he was ;)

However, he is completely right, pretty, beautiful and very very fun. I love the second painting down, very very colourful and fun!

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)
hee thanks to you and thanks, Steve! Tell him I didn't have time to draw the peens!

[identity profile] milly-gal.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve was most perturbed, he has an image of all of us in his head, the lack of peen threw him ;)

I do love that second painting/picture though, it's very eye catching!

Oh p.s the FEET ARE GORGEOUS! I meant to say like two comments back, lol.
Edited 2017-03-10 20:29 (UTC)

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw thank you!

[identity profile] jimbobjoe.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a strange thing to say, but I really like the feet one!

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I like that one too, so we can be foot fetishists together! LOL

[identity profile] jimbobjoe.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Perfect!
sillie: (BigBang2010AmriaDean)

[personal profile] sillie 2017-03-10 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
These are all lovely bb. <3

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-14 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks me dear!

[identity profile] hugemind.livejournal.com 2017-03-10 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
These are absolutely awesome! I like the colors in the first one (I'm sure he told you all about air molecules scattering the sunlight which is the thing that makes distant things appear bluer) and the details in the feet are gorgeous.

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-14 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadly, he didn't mention molecule scattering at all... I'm disappointed now!

[identity profile] aerynsun5.livejournal.com 2017-03-13 06:47 am (UTC)(link)
I love seeing your work, and the explanations are so interesting.

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2017-03-14 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks, petal. I'm glad folk get something out of these posts!