Thursday, May 29, 2014

It's all a matter of proportions...(warning: nudity. Ooh er!)

My lifedrawing group this morning had a fantastic model but I was having a great deal of trouble getting the proportions right. Big head in one, big legs in the next. Part of the problem lies in the fact that I now have to draw sitting down, kind of a worm's eye view, not conducive to accuracy. The model is usually posed on a stage so that helps a little but I do wish I could get it right. Standing and drawing has become impossible, I start shaking after about ten minutes and that's the day over.
There are some great sketchers in our group and it is difficult not to compare oneself with them, it is always helpful to come home, photograph and analyse the drawings at one remove to see what you did wrong. Weird isn't it, I can see the errors in a photo but not on the page. I wonder if this is a common thing? Certainly in etegami as soon as I have scanned one, spelling mistakes jump right out at me. I think that the concentration of doing the thing makes your left brain take a holiday somehow while the right one, the arty, farty, bad spelling , can't seem to measure accurately side, is in control. That's my theory anyway!

6 comments:

  1. I think you're right about sitting down making a difference - it is partly perspective making the head look small and the feet bigger. But they are lovely and loose. I just learnt last week that Nicolas Poussin had a tremor, but he kept on working and still managed to 'evoke the sublime'! Maybe a Mahl stick would help??

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    1. Yes, it helps if you are already famous though! I did learn a trick from a physio, putting a weight on the wrist will help somewhat, must try the mahl stick idea.

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  2. How are you going Carole? I hope you are not back in hospital. I have been using your Grommitt teacosy this cold weather.

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    1. Gay, I am okay, just distracted from blogging by the other things I have been doing. Living in the city has opened up a lot of avenues! Good to hear that Grommit's being kept warm. I have been watching with interest your latest book illogical, looks fabulous.

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    2. Thank you auto correct, that's illo! Not illogical.

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  3. How are you going Carole? I hope you are not back in hospital. I have been using your Grommitt teacosy this cold weather.

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