Some new drawings. I find it difficult to solve the issues I"m working on given the little modeling time I actually get. Here are some of the concerns(1) to get the structural dimensions of the figure,(2) to get the figures' skin ,(3) to get the natural light correct,(3) to explore a new sense of space around the figure-that isn't what's actually there;(4) to let accidents lead the work rather than being bound by the "objective facts";(5) to look for those internal and external clues that lead up to psychological reading of the figure(6) to figure where my personal internal responses lie, and how they get into the drawing,(7) to stay sensitive to my own natural gifts which may lead me in a direction different from what
I tell myself are the issues,(8) to forget all the images in my mind from art history,(9) to remember all the images in my mind from are history(10) to stay focused and not be distracted by my environment.
The model I was drawing here was a large woman very beautiful and tremendously interesting to draw. One aspect was simply to get her bulk
which had a kind of organic beauty to it. Another was her skin in all it's particularity-at times taught,or slack, shinny or dull bumped or smooth--just alot of different skin textures.She had long beautiful hair which laid across her body and down ,and around it, in such amazing and interesting patterns. All of this of course called up some of Lucian Freuds' paintings
Not to forget how beautifully the light played across her body and its shapes. In addition,drawing a large woman is rather atypical so that all my expectations were constantly being thrown off.And she of course was talking as well as were the other artists drawing her--which made psychological analysis at once more difficult and easy. Doing all of this in 20 minutes. What a challenge. What fun.