Figure Copy

First of all, let me just voice an apology with regard to my last post (I actually edited it a little and toned it down). I probably should avoid posting when I'm in such a mood, but sometimes I just really feel like venting, and this blog becomes an outlet. This learning process can be so difficult and frustrating, and I probably shouldn't throw it all out there for everyone to read, but I'm making it a point to be completely genuine in this space, and sometimes (so much of the time) it's not all sunshine and lollipops. Really, though, the frustration is all my own, and the fact that other people can compliment their own work is really good. In fact, I'd love to be more like that, and see the good in what I do--the truth is that when I see others acknowledging the good in their work,  it further highlights my inability to do so with my own--in any case, it's probably good that I'm going to have a forced break from this stuff in a week or so (summer road trip!). 

Now, on to this drawing copy. 

I was looking for a slightly more modeled figure than the little Bargues I've been doing, and was having a hard time coming up with something. But I happened to see this figure drawing on Instagram the other day, and it seemed perfect for what I was going for. The style is similar to what I've been attempting to do at the CAS, and I thought a copy of this might help me get a better feel for where I want to go with these 2-hour studies. But for all I know, copying a living artist's work like this could be considered all sorts of illegal (though I promise I have no intention of profiting from this exercise whatsoever, except the practice), so... for the sake of avoiding search engine traffic based on the artist's name, I'll just leave it out and if you're interested, leave a comment and I'll email it to you :) Anyway, I think what appeals to me about this drawing is that not only does it accurately capture the figure, but the pose has an emotive quality that is really nice--the model is looking out, but seems simultaneously guarded in her posture. It's nice when a person can take what could be just a mechanical study and turn it into a work of art, and I think that's what we have here.

I tried to approach this drawing the way I'm learning to draw over at the CAS. Usually, after two hours of drawing I get to about the first or second stage I show here. So it was fun to take it a little further than usual. Also, I really like the way this artist simplified the shadow shapes. I always try to draw every outline of every limb, and developing the restraint and vision necessary to be able to simplify like this is on my mental list of things to do. I'll get there :) 

I've been reading a little bit of "The Painter in Oil" by Daniel Burleigh Parkhurst this past week, and I really liked the following quote, because I struggle with these questions all. the. time.

(pg. 86)

"You may hope to do as good work as you want to do [...] the good work is only a matter of time." I really want to do good work. And as much as I complain about it, I truly do love doing it. So it's only a matter of time, right? (and, of course, a lot of hard work in the interim).