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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Weekend drapery -

This summer has me feeling all artistically academic apparently. After finishing the cover in the last post, I noticed a 3-day workshop at the Gage Academy on drapery.

I had wanted to take it about 5 years ago, and had never gotten around to it. I finally decided that if I wait until I feel I 'have time', I may never do it (or any number of things). I had a tiny window, so I spontaneously, once again, jumped in.

Can I say how surprisingly relaxing it was to just draw what I was looking at, rather than composing and collaging multiple elements - some of them made up - and making them into a cohesive whole. I haven't done this in more than snatches for.... I can't remember how long...

The first day consisted of demos and then hour long studies of variously draped cloth. Charcoal on paper. It's been a looooong time....


For the next two days, we worked on a 'long pose' of drapery cloth. Here's three hours worth -


- six hours -


- nine hours - (I'm starting to peter out a bit here... I've observed, and observed, until my observer was sore....)

- 12 hours now - brain-tired (needing chocolate for sustenance - this was a lot of sustained work), and blending finger all tuckered out, this was as done as I was going to get. Overall, very fun, and about all I wanted do at this pace (without longer breaks and more chocolate :-).

I'll have to see when I can fit more of these academic things in!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!

I love this careful unfolding (good word for drapery pictures) of the pictures. Your own private time laspe photography.

Jane

clairesgarden said...

I'm in awe!! its beautiful!!

Gretel said...

Makes me feel exhausted just looking at it, I can imagine how much graft went into these, but great results!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Beautiful! Drapery poses so nicely, never shifts or asks for break. I can see why you may have got worn out, phew....

andrea said...

Amazing work. I've never even heard of a drapery workshop but just the idea of doing a more classic, traditional drawing workshop is very attrective to me. Almost zen-like in its simplicity and usefulness. It reminds me how incredibly theoretical my own fine art training was aeons ago. Very little of what I learned was of any practical use or application.

Rima Staines said...

Wow... fantastic Tara!
I am liking the rigorous academic art study of late ... there should be more of it about than there is!

Tart said...

I am so out of touch with your blog that I've just been catching up on Highland Games, and then Rima's stunning clock (a spinning lady!) and your pretty impressive drapery rendition. Wow! What a treat for my eyes, all of it!

The Art of Kim Kincaid said...

Tara, When I first read your topic heading about drapery, I thought to myself, "why would she go learn how to sew draperies?" DUH. Wonderful documentation of your WIP. I love watching it slowly take form and immerge in almost 3D likeness. Thank you for sharing. (thank you too for your awesome recommendations for value and color studies on my blog).

Anonymous said...

And I am just 40 minutes home from "doing charcoal" with Grade 6.
Nothing like this! But perhaps they will progress to loftier things?

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Truly amazing work. I would love to do watercolors of finished rooms for my clients the way designer Mark Hampton did, but alas, I lack that particular talent. It must be so satisfying to translate exactly what you see on paper! Bravo!

natural attrill said...

WOW Tara! you really are getting into developing your creative skills, I do admire you.
P.x

Jennifer Rose said...

Wonderful work! The folds are really believable, great range of values and highlights really make this piece of fabric look real. It almost looks like its carved from stone in places. :)

Hayden said...

ahhh, wonderful! Something that I can identify with, having sampled (briefly and inexpertly) the joy of doing this sort of small, exact rendering. My results didn't resemble yours in the least, LOL, but at least it's something I understand!

Chris.P said...

Wow! Tara you seem to be able to constantly surprise me with your range of artistic ability.

Anonymous said...

this is amazing watching from frame to frame to see how it develops. this looks as if you could pick it up and wrap up in it. i'm so impressed with the depth and the texture.

vickie