Life studies

Working in charcoal on A2 paper, these backlit figures suggested shades of gray, rather than line drawings, so in I plunged.

Now this is drawing from life

My son was sat making a birthday card from his Grandma, so I had a chance to grab some charcoal and sketch him. I knew it was working while I was drawing it (I love that feeling) and I've really captured him. Again, this as a sheet of A2 lining paper.

Can everyone please sit still so that I can draw you. That's why I used to draw my parents a lot, while dad was reading the paper or mum was napping after teatime.

I have also been spending some time in my garage studio, tidying up, collecting oddments of paper and card together. I'm also collecting 'business' envelopes I get through the post, because the insides are printed with amazing geometric designs in blue. I want to use them to cover some handmade notebooks I have in the pipeline.

Another thing I've been doing is looking at other artists Blogs. I've picked up some fascinating techniques, and last night I covered some cheap sugar paper with layers of acrylic, ready for drawing & painting over the top of. It felt like a very 'art student' thing to do.

While I was Sunderland Uni (it was a Polytechnic when I was in my first year, just before Polys were converted to Uni's in the UK) and it was a split site, with the 'academic' site round Wearmouth Hall, and the 'arts' subjects were at Backhouse Park. I was proud that us art students were referred to as 'Fraggles' because of our colourful & raggedy appearance.

Inspired nudes

At last, here are the first of the ink studies from Edward Weston's nudes. I painted them in a craze, finding the lines and shadows, and translating these with ink on wet paper, which is a fast medium to work in. As I went, I lined up the paintings on the wall so I could see how I was progressing. I can see how I loosened up as I went on.

When I'd finished I felt full of energy, like I could take on anything. It was a real power trip. I'm not saying they're the best work I've ever done, but it was one of the most intense experiences I've ever had in painting. Now I'm itching to do some 'life drawing' from life.