1st Life Drawings in 18months!!

[Phil Moss]

Since finishing college last July I haven't sat infront of the model once, and as I think it's starting to show in my work (and because I enjoy it) I thought I'd have a go at attending some local classes in Nottingham.

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Conte/Charcoal things B on News Print. Roughly 20mins each, give or take.

Hopefully I'll update this as I go, I'd appreciate critique and advice, and maybe I'll see an improvement to these rusty specimens!!

Cheers all,
Phil

[Maxine Schacker]

I always hesitate to critique and give advice, but I'll take you at your word.
1) You have a nice line and visual sensitivity.
2) You aren't drawing from the inside out. That is, many figures are missing
internal skeletal structure. You need to take a serious look at anatomy starting with the skeletal masses.
3) Go from the general to the specific. Even if you can't see it you need to know where things are. One of your drawings is missing the sense that the neck exists. The cast shadow looks as if you were copying what you saw without being certain where the neck actually was.
4) Observation gives us a lot and good observational skills are important. However, we have to add knowledge and feeling to the package. Basically, we are reconstructing the figure on the page - not copying it.

I've taken the time to write this because you seem to have so much potential and I mean this to be encouraging and to give you things to work on.

Check out Hale's "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters," and if you can find a copy, the videos or DVD's of his lectures. If you've never gone through it, look at Nicolaides "The Natural Way To Draw."

Aristede's book is also excellent.

I hope this will be helpful. Most of all....keep drawing!

[Phil Moss]

Thanks Maxine for a very personal and direct critique - top job!

With a few weeks until I'll be back at the life classes I'll delv into the sources you've mentioned and approach the next sitting with your suggestions in mind.
For the images above I had no purpose other than to enjoy the evening and see what I remembered from college, but with your advice I'll now begin, hopefully, to work towards a particular outcome with the drawing.

Many thanks