Life drawing

Life drawing classes start out with 5-minute poses as a warm up exercise and I use to hate it, but it is necessary and now it's one of my favorite parts of the session. I also like doing them all on one page overlapping each other. 

Just about everybody in the class draws in the traditional charcoal, but I am not traditional and I like to play with color so I was using my watercolor pencils and a water brush. I usually cause a mild excitement curiosity at what I use at these sessions. The artists on both sides of me were intrigued and I'm glad I brought extras with me for the man on my right and the young lady who sat next to me as they both wanted to try them out.

"Lady Justice" perhaps since the swipe across her eyes looks like a blindfold

The model wasn't the best as she was kinda twitchy during her poses but I know it is hard to stay absolutely still for 20 to 30 minutes. Set a timer and try it, you'll be amazed at how bored you get...but she is getting paid for it so I do wish she would sit still. However, when she just laid flat on her back for the last pose I was dissappointed, even then she couldn't be still and kept wriggling.

I call this the dead man pose, lol or maybe sunbather

I'm starting to accumulate some drawings and there are a lot that I don't like...at all. I dislike most of my earlier drawings and have decided to either re-work them or gesso over them. This is one of those from last year...

5 minute warm-up exercise

So I took a stencil that my friend Jamie gave me and spritzed some spray ink on the mask and then imprinted it over the drawing. They just looked like they were at the beach to me so I added some water and a beach scene far off in the distance since it appeared that they were all looking at something. Actually to me, they seem to be waiting for someone or for something to happen.

I decided to soften up the stencil image and blend some of her colors onto the other women and added some water around the bottom of their legs so they look like they are wading. I want a name for this piece but I could use some help if you have any suggestions.

Ideas for a title:

"They went in too far"

"Beach discussion"

"Waiting until it's safe"

Entering this is Paint Party Friday

oops...too busy to blog?

I just realized it's been over 3 weeks since I last posted. It was a mad push and lots of parties to get the Bearfootin' Bear completed. And then afterward I just relaxed and relaxed, it was wonderful.

So here's a recap of this month 👀

First thing was giving away a piece of my art to Alta Davis. She won it during a small contest I ran after the Artscape art show was over.

 And yes, I am back to being in a booth now, and thank you Jamie for helping me to hang the lights!

It's so nice to have young friends 💙

I discovered a new tea house called A Southern Cup of Tea which a group of my girlfriends met for an "afternoon tea". It was delightful and I need to go back soon!

My friend Jamie wanted to visit Malaprops bookstore in Asheville. It's not often you can go to a bookstore, get tea and scones or a glass of wine! While she explored I sat and ate and sketched.

Then, of course, came the big Bearfootin' Bear reveal... 

Then came the rain, lots of rain, so I spent my time indoors playing with some new StencilGirl stencils ( I can't tell you about them yet, they won't be revealed until July!) and making an ATC for the Grumbacher trade. The theme is voyage this month.

The rest of the time I spent Netflix binging and drinking tea on my porch reading.

Yes, life has been good to me but it's been great to just sit back and chill.