Upon returning to a life drawing group for the first time in over two years, one doesn’t wish to be late. But trains let me down. Cut to the chase: I had to walk from Denmark Hill to The Prince Regent in 23 minutes. Google says it takes 34. I did it in 18.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Gabrielle Bradshaw.
Hot and breathless but trying to look composed, I staggered up to the pub’s first floor where I found SketchPad Drawing and organiser Lisa exactly as remembered them: from both my last visit in February 2022… and my first visit in Janaury 2015. 🙂
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Joris.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by kris_kringlev2.
Artwork by Maria Beddoes.
The group now occupies only one function room instead of two, but that’s fine by me. It’s less limiting than posing in a doorway. We were a little late starting so I recovered enough to stand for a 10-minute pose, then four of 2 minutes, before sitting for 10s.
Artwork by Gabrielle Bradshaw.
Artwork by Joris.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Ian Thomas.
In the last 15 minutes before our break, I perched on a table’s edge with hands round my head in a favoured Egon Schiele-style. The extended joys of a pub-based interval meant we could squeeze just two poses of 10-15 minutes into the second half.
Artwork by Maria Beddoes.
Artwork by Keith Whitworth.
For the closing poses I got a slightly-less-than-subtle hint to turn my face toward Lisa so she could sketch a portrait. Any time she wants to see more of me I’ll be delighted to return! Two years had been way too long… but it felt like only yesterday.
Online life drawing with London Drawing: part 2 of 2. This was my Tuesday evening follow-up to last Saturday daytime modelling on Zoom. Once again the session was led by insightful artist and art teacher, Susannah Pal – Macclesfield Art Tutor.
The key consideration for this session was sustaining adequate lighting. On Saturday from 11am to 1pm we needed only sunshine through the window, but this evening we would need to make adjustments with the onset of twilight between 7pm to 9pm.
We started in daylight but I took the precaution of switching on my soft ceiling light so there would be some compensatory illumination when the sun began to set. First half pose times were 10, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 10 and 18 minutes. Lots of dynamism.
At the break, I switched on a low voltage table lamp to my left, and a dazzlingly bright Magneto Lantern to my right. The intention was to ensure all-round radiance, but with an extra strong source on one side that would create shadows and add depth.
We ended the session with two seated poses on a chair; 20 minutes and 18 minutes. For the second we moved the camera closer for a cropping effect with more detail. In all, it was another highly enjoyable and instructive experience. I’m liking Zoom work!
Having posed for London Drawing at three different venues in the past month it was now my turn to supply the setting. Modelling for their online life drawing this Saturday morning and the following Tuesday evening, I would be welcoming virtual visitors into the dedicated studio space of my own home.
Artwork by Carol Smith.
Artwork by Carol Smith.
I’d recently revamped one end of the room especially for my online work. On the wall facing its large window I’d fitted a curtain pole high above the radiator then hung light (cream) and dark (aubergine) curtains at either end as alternative backdrops. Behind these I fitted another pole for hanging a colourful hippy sheet as an exotic option.
Artwork by Jean.
Artwork by Jean.
Artwork by Mary F.
Artwork by Shaun.
Artwork by Shaun.
Artwork by Shaun.
This session would be my first working with Macclesfield Art Tutor, artist Susannah Pal. Before starting we shared ideas and tested options. Susannah favoured the light backdrop, so we stuck with that. When our artists joined us, we treated them to quick poses: 10 minutes, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 15 and 5 minutes up to a short break.
Artwork by Peter.
20-minute, 20-minute, and 5-minute poses brought the session to a close. There was time left to admire the artworks of anyone willing to hold them in front of their camera, after which we all quit Zoom and I was once more alone… as I had been all along. It’s still a curious practice for me, but I’m increasingly loving it and hope to do more.
This session for one of Adrian Dutton’s groups at the Garrett Centre was without a key ingredient: Adrian himself. Sad circumstances called for him to be elsewhere, but this afforded the rare delight of an evening hosted by Adrian’s wife, Anya. It had been several years since the last occasion, but Anya is always and utterly reliable.
Artwork by Agustin Coll.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
Anya stuck to a winning formula: artists on seats and at easels arranged in a square, model on gym mats at the centre, spotlight overhead, webcams for attendees online. We started with one 10-minute pose followed by five 1-minute poses, then continued with poses of 5, 10 and 20 minutes up to our break. Everything like clockwork.
Artwork by Tamar Ben Joya.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
This remains the only group I know that offers free, freshly cooked hot food for model and artists alike at the interval. After a delicious bowl of dhal we resumed our art with five more 1-minute poses – to get everybody re-energised – before finishing with one pose of 15 minutes and one of 20 minutes.
Artwork by Tamar Ben Joya.
Artwork by Agustin Coll.
And as ever artists are invited to share their work at the end by placing it on the floor, to inspire or simply be admired by others. Certainly they had my admiration; so much precisely observed, boldly interpreted, beautifully created art. Lovely people too. I left Bethnal Green in high spirits. This was a particularly good one.
My third booking with London Drawing this year was my first at their Covent Garden venue: Westminster Quaker Meeting House. It would also be a first chance to work with tutor Josie Deighton – someone I felt I’d known from afar for years without ever having occasion to meet in person. It was a pleasure to put that right.
The wide space of the meeting house hall had room enough for many artists but only three or four were present when I arrived early. One never knows what attendance to expect when somewhere new so I was delighted to see what must have been almost forty artists all keen to draw as we began with five poses of 2 minutes.
Unfazed by the high turnout, Josie diligently worked the room, proffering constructive advice to each individual artist. I too was shown every care and consideration as she frequently checked whether there was anything I might want or need. But I am a very low maintenance life model. 🙂 Poses of 5, 20 and 20 minutes took us to a break.
Artwork by Greg Genestine-Charlton.
Our second half was not wildly dissimilar to the first. Again we started with five poses each of 2 minutes, but so sharply that I barely had time to finish my tea. What else to do except freeze in a dynamic panicked pose with the mug to my lips? One half-hour pose completed a session of great energy and positivity. Thank you, Josie!
As ever at Hesketh Hubbard Art Society sessions, three models were booked: one to stay clothed for portraits, one for a single long nude pose, and one for ‘quick’ nude poses. This evening I was delighted to be back on quicks, but on arriving found most society members were evidently more delighted by the prospect of Layla on long!
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
I reckon I had about a dozen artists attending me – what organiser Simon referred to as ‘the elite’ – whereas Layla had possibly three times as many. She’s a great person and worthy of exceptional attention. But when artists have choices and a minority opt to swim against the tide to see what I can do, I feel obligated to give them everything.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Maria Antonia Aracil.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
For the first half I was required to provide four poses of 15 minutes each. I must have made the first a tad too dynamic, standing high with an arm even higher, as at times I felt oddly wobbly and flushed as if with vertigo. I stayed sensible, settled and focused thereafter; still putting in a shift, but preserving enough of myself for after the break.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Maria Antonia Aracil.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Usually in art spaces my bare feet collect charcoal dust at half-time intervals. Here in genteel Mall Galleries, however, they gather biscuit crumbs. After tea and digestives and a custard cream too many, I finished with two 30-minute poses. The last took my remaining reserves, but… it’s a modelling thing: energised despite pain, I felt strong.
This was my first visit to The Art of Isolation in Surrey Quays since I’d posed as part of their 2023 end-of-year party. There was never going to be the same artist numbers on a Saturday after Easter but it was nice to see several familiar friendly faces.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Natalia Boyarintseva.
This session was focused on ‘foreshortening and anatomy’. I usually showcase these wherever I go as an inevitable consequence of my physique, but here I offered a little extra emphasis. We began with poses of 10, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5 and 10 minutes.
One pose of 15 minutes completed our first half. I stood in an open stance, left hand on left hip, outstretched right hand supported by a pole, ribs and tendons maximised. Even with all this glorious anatomy on show, some just love to make a portrait. 😀
Artwork by Ned.
We paused for tea and biscuits before setting-up a final pose of 35 minutes. This was the prime study of foreshortening: I sat with legs open and out forwards, arms up and out to the sides. Tutor Rod Kitson led with a challenging drawing demo.
Artwork by Rod Kitson.
Artwork by Elin.
As ever when interesting tuition is going on – in this case, the demo – time absolutely raced by. And at the end… all these glorious drawings. It’s great when there’s a party, but still it’s always a joy being party to the real-time creative process with artists.
steve ritter 