Finally made it back to life drawing this week (it's the first time since the first of May!) I was terribly pleased to be able to sit through it - both physically (I needed a pillow by the last hour, but it wasn't bad) and stamina-wise.
Had this darling, little, round older guy - bald, bandanna-ed, and bearded - as our model.
I haven't learned how to effectively indicate older or textural skin - there was lots of crepe, and body hair. Maybe not the most important details, but it'd be nice to be able to at least allude to that kind of thing...? Anybody have any suggestion for this kind of texture? In charcoal?When we finished and headed out to our cars we saw that the seasonal Farmer's Market that they hold weekly in the parking lot had just begun that day!
The mini-train ride was going strong!
And all sorts of people were there, including some folks from a wildlife rescue - with this 'special needs' possum (she, and her litter-mates were born cross-eyed), who is currently playing surrogate mother to this abandoned baby....
...who did nothing but hand on for dear life on the adult possum's back. So cute! I don't think I've ever seen a baby up close like this before.
We meandered further past the flower vendors, those with live plants, crafts, jewelry, live music, and Kettle Korn....
...and then we got to the food! The freshly made mini-donuts! (after which I got so distracted that no more picture-taking happened - so no showing you the amazing spring produce, or the Great Harvest Bread Company, etc...)*
Ah, so glad it's Farmer's Market season again.
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7 comments:
Hmm, just my 5 cents on the hair thing; one of the first things drummed out of me by my brilliant Slade trained life teacher was not to bother with fiddling about trying to get details of hair, (whihc naturally we all wanted to do!) I think alluding to it is better, personally. She would have said that the only really important thing is the flow of the pose, and the structure, and if you get that right then it will sort itself out re.age. But, when in doubt, go and see how Michelangelo did it. That's what I used to do. :) However, I think you've done it very successfully here.
(There were blacksmiths at the Devonshow, but they weren't as delectable, being proper old codgers and surrounded by people. I might be going to the Malvern again and will look out for young Wayland).
I think you did quite well..I knew it was an elder immediately...don't know what caught my eye first to indicate it, but there you are...I knew...love the photos of the fair and the possum with baby...they are the sweetest things to look at...such faces...It's one of those animals that GOD made to make children smile...
Sandi
For some reason I thought all Possums were already cross-eyed......Those textures are terribly hard in charcoal and really I think you've captured him quite wonderfully.
You might try laying down a light rough layer of charcoal with the edge of a block and then *not* smooth it out. That should suggest the texture of crepey skin and hair. It looks like you are using the same technique of portraying skin shadows and highlights that you use on smooth skinned models, i.e. lots of blending.
I love those little donuts and those poppies are gorgeous. I would love to grow some here but the grow like weeds here and we have enough weeds to deal with :p
that possum is really cute :D Really neat seeing one up close
The only thing I would suggest about getting a texture to the skin is what Rebecca suggested. Not so much blending
Your drawing looks great. I agree with the other poster/s who said don't worry about the texture of the skin. How light and shadow play over the form is the most important aspect of drawing. The shapes bely the figures age - the distended belly, the wasted legs, the bulbous end of his nose, the white goatee.
You did a good job. Remember the devil is in the details. That's a warning we'd all do best to take two ways!
BTW - I LOVED the possum pictures. I don't think I've ever seen one. They're adorable!
Those possums are so cute!
Penny.
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