Every time I do this, I try to have a "take." In his book The Art Spirit, Robert Henri talks about studying for information. [pg. 25] "...what we can carry away with us -- is often a revelation of the very little understanding we had in the presence of the model." That's pretty much it. Even if I come in and bash out another 20 sheets of the same-old-same-old, there's usually one new nugget that sticks in my sieve of a head. This week it was a shape the fleshy pad the foot makes on the outer side when it contacts the ground, and how it runs into the piggy toe. That's mine now.
Side note 1 : I've listed "anatomy" and "light" at the very bottom of my lifedrawing agenda. This is because I feel like I'm still struggling with the stuff closer to the top of my list, most of all "proportion." I'm still, after all these years, misjudging the relative size of arms, legs, heads, torsos and, well, everything else. When I feel like I'm consistently nailing gesture and proportion, I'll be able to let myself focus on those other, more cosmetic things.
Side note 2 : If you moderate a lifedrawing session, leave the music up to the model. Or at least make an attempt to differ it every week. HUNDREDS of new tracks have come available in the brief time it took me to post this, and there's many free, streaming services that don't require much musical knowledge, let alone taste.
For that past, oh, six months, I've heard the same 30-or-so songs on perpetual loop at the session I attend. It's maddening. I even said something. I could just suck it up and keep bringing my own listening device, but goddamn, people, NO ES DIFICIL.
Side note 1 : I've listed "anatomy" and "light" at the very bottom of my lifedrawing agenda. This is because I feel like I'm still struggling with the stuff closer to the top of my list, most of all "proportion." I'm still, after all these years, misjudging the relative size of arms, legs, heads, torsos and, well, everything else. When I feel like I'm consistently nailing gesture and proportion, I'll be able to let myself focus on those other, more cosmetic things.
Side note 2 : If you moderate a lifedrawing session, leave the music up to the model. Or at least make an attempt to differ it every week. HUNDREDS of new tracks have come available in the brief time it took me to post this, and there's many free, streaming services that don't require much musical knowledge, let alone taste.
For that past, oh, six months, I've heard the same 30-or-so songs on perpetual loop at the session I attend. It's maddening. I even said something. I could just suck it up and keep bringing my own listening device, but goddamn, people, NO ES DIFICIL.
