Feelin' Sketchy Saturday

I am so glad I went to drawing session today! And from the sketches I am sure you can guess why. We had two models today... a mom and her seven week old baby boy. What a treat! The poses were all relatively short, but what fun exercises they were. The best part? When mom took a break and had a coffee, I got to snuggle the baby! I managed to get him to fall asleep and then I snuggled him and got to enjoy his soft little breaths and baby noises. I almost want another one. Almost.

Feelin' Sketchy Saturday and Auction Tomorrow

10 minute sketch

pencil on paper

© Nicki Ault, 2013

 

 15 minute sketch

pencil on paper

© Nicki Ault, 2013

Two weeks in a row! The Saturday drop-in drawing session was excellent today. The model was fantastic; she was a veteran and what a difference that makes. I so wish I got her eyes right in the second sketch. Dang. I loved the lines of her neck and shoulders in that pose. I may go back and tamper with it a bit... try to get those eyes better.

My nerves are starting to kick in because tomorrow I have three paintings in a curated auction raising money for the Sexual Health Centre. It is a biannual auction and I was in it for the first time two years ago. The curators go around to various studios in town and hand select the work for the auction. I am extremely pleased that they wanted me to participate again. They chose two of my 6x6" paintings which will go as a set and then a 36 x 36" painting... here they are:

The Day The Lake Became The Sea

6x6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault
sold

Hover

6x6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault
sold

In The Thick of The Thicket

36x36"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault
sold

I framed them all and my fingers are crossed the crickets won't be chirping when they come up for bid! The auction is being held at the Albert Community Centre on Clarence Ave. in Saskatoon and is open to the public, and I do believe there is a charge at the door. Viewing of the artwork is from 2:00-3:00 and the auction then goes from about 3:00-5:00. I hope to go, but I need to sort out a date because this is the type of nerve-wracking thing a gal needs support for!

Update: the auction went well and my paintings have new homes!

Feelin' Sketchy Saturday

20 minute standing pose

pencil on paper

 © Nicki Ault, 2013

20 minute sitting pose

pencil on paper

© Nicki Ault, 2013

It's been awhile since I have done a Feelin' Sketchy Saturday post and it feels good! I had loads of fun meeting up with a friend for coffee, and a few belly laughs, and then going to the drop-in drawing session. I'm grateful to him for lighting a candle under me and getting me there today. Of course I felt rusty and the model was brand new, so she was nervous and unsure, but it all went okay. She had these long bangs that basically covered her eyes, but you could sort of see them, and she had a cute little turned up mouth. That foreshortened bent arm in the top pose really messed with my head! Tricky! Anyway, I must make more of an effort to get there or find time to sketch at home. Seeing a bit of progress would be nice.

Father and Son

Father and Son

pencil on paper

© Nicki Ault, 2001

Last week I went to see the new atelier (art school) that is opening in town and ever since then I have been very excited about getting back to drawing. I am so looking forward to fine tuning my skills and learning more about training my eye to really see. I think some of my friends will recognize the father in this photo; I've known him since elementary school and I was pleased and honoured when his wife asked me to draw him with their first born. The likeness is pretty good, but I am sure once I learn more I'll want to try it again.

I have recently been spurred on by my drawing buddy to meet for coffee and then attend the drop-in drawing session with him this Saturday. I'll be rusty yet again, but hopefully I'll come out with something to show you. Stay tuned for a new installment of Feelin' Sketchy Saturday! All of my drawings up until now are going to act as the "befores" to all of the drawings I do "after" my atelier training is complete!

Feelin' Sketchy Saturday

 25 minute sketch

charcoal and pastel

 2 minute gestures

 2 minute gestures

 20 minute sketch

charcoal and pastel

10 minute contour drawing

pencil

20 minute sketch

graphite and pastel

The drop-in drawing session today was fun, although I left early because of a headache. I sat in a similar place this week (facing the windows), so still battled back-light issues on the model. I used my white pastel more sparingly just to show the bright highlights (and some reflected light) on the body. I enjoy the difference between the contour drawing and the sketch I did of the same pose. The arm coming towards me was quite foreshortened (dramatically so in the contour drawing- he he) and offered a challenge as did the line of her torso. The man sitting beside me happened to be the instructor of the drawing class I took last summer. I said something about our angle being a challenge and he told me to think of it as a landscape. Humph. Helpful!

I am very excited because I have ordered some new art books and they should be here soon. One is called "Art Models 6: The Female Figure in Shadow and Light" by Maureen Johnson. A girl probably should have started with book #1, but #6 looked so good! Anyway, even though it is not as good as a live model, I will have some images to work from at home now and I will be able to work on a pose for more than 20 or 30 minutes at a time.

Have a great weekend!