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Monday, July 7, 2014

Let's Enjoy Life Drawing!

Hi, Friends, did you enjoy a weekend? I did! Regarding the picture book illustration, one more spread to go. Thank you for warm cheers. This week, I'd chat over my colourful life drawings. Friends, how do you enjoy life drawing? I try varied ways to explore life drawing and find something new so that I can use it for other work. I'm interested in "moody direct painting," in particular.

1) Direct Painting
Below, I hardly drew lines and directly started putting colours on darker areas. Interesting! In a process, a figure looked like a negative space. Although balancing weight in colours was a hard task, it was a great fun and other life drawing members had an entertainment together. As this work had only a few lines, accuracy is questionable. But the mood comes up well that makes me happy. I need more practices to get used to direct painting. It's worth trying and will be fun. (*I always set a paper vertical.) 
*All used paper sizes are A2. Try a large paper. In my personal opinion, a bigger paper gives you more freedom and creativity. Look at little children's nice drawings on big papers. Strong brush strokes and confident lines are already a beauty!

2) Lines and Washes
This one is opposite to the first one. I emphasised lots of lines and played with washes to create a mood. Mmm... could be too busy. Never mind, try next!
BTW, what do you try in life drawing? Accuracy, proportion, value, what else? But they do not interest me much. Always a model's face expression and a mood fascinate me most. What do you think? In my view, we should enjoy life drawing rather than simply chasing up rigid meticulousness. We know it bores many of us at school or in workshops, class and ... sadly, some of us stop drawing! I want to tell others how fun life drawing is! Actually, I almost sing, whistle, dance from joy in life drawing class (**I do it silently! So, other members smile at me or laugh together).

My motivation for life drawing is simple and strong. What did/do you feel, when you see a human body? When I saw our human body, the awesome beauty really touched my heart and I chose watercolour  --- black and white was not sufficient enough to depict my awe.
My class's leader is wonderful, who encourages each of us to be "what I am" most. She loves my experiments and urges me to do lots more. It inspires me, especially, when I get stuck in picture book illustrations and portraits. So, I'm very happy to come and see life drawing class members... and want to enjoy life drawing more!

2) Quick Painting with a Big Hake Brush
My flat Hake brush is 9cm (=3.5 inches) wide. I'm still playing it around to learn how to use it. That rediculously wide brush, at once, won other members interest! Yes, that's the way it is -- "having fun together"! I'll try it more in a next term.
I'm playing with lines and value, below.
What about you? How do you enjoy life drawing? Let me hear your story.
Regarding picture book illustration, I'm working on "roughs" for the spread. Author, Editor Helen Chamberlin and Mentor Ann James help me to create it. I'm enjoying this project.
(NOTE *Rough = tries in black & white, colour in picture book illustration.)
Also, special thank you for your kind regards. My hands and the leg get better, which makes a physio and a hand therapist happy, too. They encourage me so much and I work on the given menu more than ever.

Let's enjoy life drawing in a unique way and share joy with same minded people. Take care (*we're in winter, brrrr!!!!). Have a wonderful week!
Friends, Happy Painting! 










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16 comments:

  1. Sadami, if I had you in a Life Drawing session with me, I would watch and learn from you! ha ha I find most of the Life Drawing sessions are just that = drawing with charcoal or graphite but no color or very rarely muted color in conte crayon or something. Direct painting looks great when you do it - I would have had a big blob of color and nothing else! ha ha
    Have a wonderful week.

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  2. Thank you, sweet Rhonda! Direct painting is not easy like you said. Yes, control of water is hard, as I do it on a "vertical" paper. We -- you & me and other blog friends -- are waterCOLOUR lovers. Thank goodness, we do not have a teacher and we can do it as we like. I'm not a type for monochrome. One day, we should sketch and life drawing together, Rhonda!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  3. This is a wonderful text about life drawing ! I enjoyed it !
    I just particpated in an intensive week of life drawings and your text says it all !
    (you can read about it on my blog)
    I love life drawing ;-)

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    1. J'ai visité votre blog! Oh, Martine, Nous avons le même point de vue sur l'élaboration vie! Votre aquarelle est belle. Surtout, vos lignes représentent bien les caractéristiques de chaque modèle. Félicitations! Notre classe est petite, souvent moins de 10 personnes. Si vous venez à Sydney, rejoignez notre classe et nous allons avoir du plaisir ensemble. Merci pour un commentaire doux. Meilleurs voeux, Sadami

      I visited your blog! Oh, Martine, WE have the same view about life drawing!! Your watercolour is lovely. Especially, your lines depict each model's features well. Congrats! Our class is small, often less than 10 people. If you come to Sydney, join our class and let's have fun together. Thank you for a sweet comment. Best wishes, Sadami

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  4. Life drawing and painting is so important. I can tell when an artist doesn't do it. Their work can look so dead. That is judgmental of me, I guess...but I just don't like "dead" paintings! Your paintings are always lively and bursting with energy

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    1. Thank u, Celeste and your say is sooo spot on! Indeed, it is called, "LIFE" drawing. I hope my work will capture life on paper. Best wishes, Sadami

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  5. I think setting yourself challenges when life drawing, as you do, makes it much more fun and interesting - I have to remind myself to do that and not just churn out the same old stuff, boring even myself! I did quite a lot of it last year (not lately). I think I might do a post about it too - thanks for this Sadami, always stimulating and inspiring to read your posts and see your paintings

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    1. Sweet Cathy, thank u! Sure, I really look forward to your life drawings, yey!! In drawing and watercolour, I avoid mannerism. Indeed, our leader just said like your comment. I'm happy to do that kind of "entertainment" for other life darwing members. Cheers, Sadami

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  6. Dibujar del natural, lo intento... pero que dificil es!, años atras iba a clase y la modelo estaba estática o como mucho en poses de quince minutos, pero ahora dibujo a la gente que me rodea y siempre hay movimiento. A veces termino el dibujo otras no, pero si lo importante es dibujar y pasarlo bien, pues estoy en ello.

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    1. Querido dulce Tina,
      A partir de la vida no es fácil. Entiendo perfectamente su dolor. Sin embargo, "divertirse" o "si te gusta", puede seguir intentando. Quería atraer a la gente de la vida y no le di para estos años. Tina, no te preocupes por los resultados. Hemos de tener el dibujo de alegría, te un día de captura de modelo vivo como quieras. Siempre te envío mis aplausos cálidos. Vaya, vaya, Tina, vamos a divertirnos!
      Mis mejores deseos, Sadami

      >>>Tina said...
      Draw from life, I try ... but that is hard!, Years ago went to class and the model was stationary or at most fifteen minute poses, but now drawing the people around me and there is always movement. Sometimes I finish drawing some not, but the important thing is to draw and have fun, because I'm at it.

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  7. Beautiful sketches, Sadami, all full of life and movement. I really like your direct painting one - such nice shapes. I know that lines are your thing, but this one you did really great! Keep trying and keep having fun!

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    1. Thank u, sweet Blaga! Very happy to know you enjoy my work and like the first one. I want to "paint" without drawing. That's hard for me now. Yes, I'll keep trying! You, too, enjoy it!
      Best wishes, Sadami

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  8. Magníficos sketches!!
    Un abrazo y feliz semana :)

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    1. Gracias, dulce Sonia! Usted, también, disfrutar de una semana productiva y maravilloso!
      Un fuerte abrazo y una sonrisa, Sadami

      Thank you, sweet Sonia!! You, too, enjoy a productive and wonderful week!!
      Big hugs and smile, Sadami

      >>>>>Sonia said...
      Magnificent sketches!
      Hugs and happy week :)

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    2. To me life drawing is so exciting! Unfortunately I have not had much opportunity to do it - too busy with work and family. But during a hiatus last year I had the opportunity to go, after many years. I didn't really have the courage to pick up anything as complex as watercolors. I started with the charcoal and soon ditched that for the comfortable pen that I am used to. That is when I saw results. I was quite proud of what I did! The best one was mighty good! But I broke her wrist, poor thing. lol.

      I really want to focus on making my people move! They are almost always standing or sitting.

      I am very excited for you with the upcoming book, and cannot wait to see what you and your fantastic editor produced! I hope fame won't make you unreachable! We need your sunshine down here on the ground. :)

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    3. Hi, sweet Dan, I know you're a wonderful and brave dad who supports your son and family!!! How much heart breaking for the family to have a family member with autism. If you can have time for life drawing, enjoy it fully. You're the boss in life drawing and do not need to follow how to do it. If you want to change a model's body, go for it! A world is under your command. Watercolour is not complicated and we cannot do it in a complicated way in life drawings, because we do not have time.

      Regarding capturing moving people, just do sketch every day for a few minutes. You do not need to do long minutes. Say, maximum 3 or 5 minutes. But keep it up for years. One day, when you look back your life, you'll find it gives you wonderful drawing skills and accumulated papers will tell your imporvement. Inch by inch, we grow.

      Thank you! My editor, Helen and mentor Ann are wonderful. But I'm sure fame will not come to me, ahahaha!? Many people and blog friends have been cheering me up for years. How could I forget them all? Already, local libraries invite me to do book launch and run workshops for children next year. They know my years long struggling and celebrate this project. I'd always appreciate many supporters' warm cheers! Dan, you're one of them.
      I also know you want to illustrate a picture book. Please keep up your dream and try submission etc to approach publishers. Let us encourage each other to make our dreams come true.
      I heartily hope your family, especially the son will communicate you.
      Best wishes, Sadami

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