This week the medium was charcoal and we had a new model. The idea was you crushed a piece of charcoal into powder and initially worked the portrait with your fingers. Then add detail with small pieces of charcoal of various shapes, sharp, blunt etc, depending on what was needed. The putty rubber also came into play erasing and creating whites.
A2 Sketching paper
During the session Jackie quietly drifted around - you suddenly find her at your elbow - pointing out errors and suggesting ways of improving things. This is very effective and not at all negative.
This was quite an enjoyable exercise, although I wouldn't do it by choice! Charcoal is very messy but also expressive. The idea once again is to avoid `tightness' and repetition in your drawing/painting with Jackie again stressing there is no one way of drawing. To illustrate this she had a book of Matisses drawings which clearly showed him drawing in many different ways, as well as examples of her own very good work.
Next week we are using pastels, something new to me.
Like the bold characterful effect you have achieved with the charcoal Peter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan. It is an expressive medium. Pity it;s so messy.
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