Friday, July 16, 2010

Working With a Live Model


So, I have come almost full circle in my own art history. Back in the early 70's, my first official art education was a life drawing class with Byron Rodarmel, at San Diego City College. It was the beginning of a lifetime journey and the inspiration that would direct my life. The tools he gave me are still relevant today, and the exercises that I dismissed as busywork are the ones that I do decades later, to keep my skills sharp.

There are weekly life-sessions at one of the local galleries, simply pay the model fee ($10 - cheap for what you are getting), and you have three hours to draw or paint. The model keeps the same pose (or as exactly as can be reproduced after breaks) and you work. I've done one session just drawing and now, one painting.

This is the first time I've painted live for .... too long to count, and never with a model that was there for three hours. I looked at my work, and don't remember having this level of competence before.
Somewhere along the line, drawing pictures of fruit and vegetables must have done some good. I wish I could share this with Byron: my delight and excitement about working again. I know he would have been pleased.

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