Week Eight Is Postponed

Medical condition and a lack of medication for it means that my hands are currently shaking too much to draw well (or type easily), so Week Eight will not be started officially until I am unable to function properly again.

Thanks for you patience,

Liz

Week 8: In the Manner of... #2 (Artistic Nudity)

The image above is one of the most well-known by Mexican female painter Frida Kahlo (July 6 1907 - July 13 1954). Though I admire the works of many historic artists, this woman is my favorite not only as a painter but as a strong determined person not afraid to express herself or depict life as the harsh, sometimes ugly reality that it was for her.

While there unfortunately won't be time for me to go about my week and do a painting on canvas to attempt mimicking her style, I'll still try it by digital means. For a bit I had no idea what I could do as a tribute to this woman, but yesterday it struck me to try a portrait of her with one of the three children that she was unable to carry to term due to a horrible accident when she was in her twenties. She wanted more than anything to have children with her husband Diego Rivera, but never could. So that will be my tribute to her. The thumbnail sketch in the top right of the page below is the concept for that.

And yes, more ponies.

There was also a non-cirricular figure drawing workshop that some cousins and I went to on Saturday. It wasn't my most successful round of drawing the figure, but it was still enjoyable and good practice.

Week Seven: I See The Light

Okay, I realize it may not have been obvious before but hopefully now it is? It's Jean from Spriggan (who I write) with my friend's character Aiko reliving my favorite scene from Tangled. Toward the end GIMP didn't do what I want so I had to trace it onto clean paper so I could color it. The coloring went quite awry but thank God for digital programs.

It's not my most amazing piece, but it will pass. And from a distance it's nice to look at.

Week Seven: Progress Two (Artistic Nudity)

Isn't that an imaginative title.

Anyway, it turns out the whole thing will need to be colored digitally. Inking didn't go so well, so since there's now correction fluid on the original it would be impossible to color it traditionally and have it still look nice. But that's alright. It'll fit with the background better.

We had a young male model during class yesterday, which was quite different than the women and old man we've had so far. The musculature was interesting to do, and he took some poses from Michelangelo's works for the study. He had a very prominent brow ridge. It was neat but there wasn't really time or opportunity to draw it.

Week Seven: A Crossing of Sorts

Trying to do traditional again and it happens to be another couple on the same week as Valentine's Day. That wasn't actually planned but it works. This goes out to another Role Play partner for mine, so let's see how soon she recognizes these two.

They're dressed as Flynn and Rapunzel from "Tangled" and will be riding in a boat reenacting my absolute favorite scene; the release of the lanterns. The background will probably be digital for the sake of my sanity (and not spending a ton of money on dark markers).

Week Six: There She Is

Since her face is no longer terrifying I will label this drawing a success! Week 7 has been decided on and, homework allowing, will be started this evening.

That's all I have to say about that. :)

Week Six: Not Quite

The goal was to finish this last night, but after working with her face for quite a bit and not succeeding plans changed to finishing it today. Her eyes are too big and her lips are weird, but since I've been caffeinated and had a good night's sleep it shouldn't take long fix.

Week Six: Leaps and Bounds

This week has been pretty merciful as far as allowing time to work on this piece. The face is being saved for last along with the hair because they're my favorite thing to do. Doing them first would mean being bored with the rest.

The rest, however, is turning out well! It's been really fun.

More progress has finally been made in Printmaking. The prints have one more block of color going on them, which will be done next week. And unless the internet was lying to me, the Russian means "Sunrise".
Also, some exercises from Figure Drawing. The actual drawings exercises didn't turn out well at all, but these were cool. The idea was to work starting with the darks as guidelines and working up to lights.

Week Six: Thick

The progress here is actually from today and yesterday. Hopefully there will be time to work on it more tonight and then the blog will be updated again with the usual additions from my Figure Drawing and Printmaking studios.

This one's actually going by pleasantly fast. It won't have nearly the background details that my last digital drawing did.

Week Six: Finally Starting (Artistic Nudity)

Well, technically it's not that late, since last week's wasn't started until Monday either. Maybe Monday should be Day 1 from now on. But this week is digital again because toting my markers and colored pencils all over is hardly convenient. There's also the possibility of working on a digital piece at work and during my lunch break, since the computer comes with me everywhere.

Anyway, a number of factors led to the decision for this week to be a sort of pinup of an usual variety. The character will be a heavier woman (obviously) and wearing something does, in fact, leave a decent amount to the imagination. Part of the inspiration is likely the model from yesterday's Figure Drawing class. She's not built like the woman in my drawing, but her curves were still a lot of fun to do.

Week Five: Works for Me

I like to think I'm someone who learns my lesson from doing something stupid the first time around, but apparently not. After staying up until five in the morning on Saturday night I'm sleepy enough that I wouldn't be surprised if I nod off sitting on the drawing horse in my Figure Drawing class later today. It's my own fault, of course. I was with friends and family over the weekend and I usually conk out at 11 when I'm with them. This weekend, however, I wanted to hang out as much as possible, so I downed more coffee at about 7 that evening and wasn't ready to pass out until we'd watched two other movies and were half-way through the steaming pile that is Van Helsing.

Anyway, I did color in my drawing as planned. The background can wait until some unlikely occurrence when I have nothing better to do, but for now it's time to move on to Week 6.

Also over the weekend I completed my art assignment of three expressive busts. Only two are shown here because the other was so awful that no one needs to see it. At least it's done.

Week Five: Whoops (Artistic Nudity)

So while the week's been effectively kicking my ass, some progress has been made on the drawing. I finished inking it just a few minutes ago, but this picture was obviously taken before then. I'm at my cousin's this weekend and couldn't be bothered to figure out the scanner at all. I also doubt there will be much of a background on this, but if I get the characters colored at least I won't sweat it too much.

Figure Drawing on Wednesday was fun and effective. We spent a good deal of class having the model pose like each of the Three Graces from one of Botticelli's paintings, and then took a shot at a portrait afterwards. I liked the outcomes of both enough to share them here.