Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Figure and Time

I've been spending some time hanging out at Hipbone Studios in Portland, drawing from the model. It's wonderful to focus so intently on this subject. I'm going back tomorrow for another session and can't wait! I've got my gear all set in my car already! Here are a couple of the drawings.

They're done on Wallis paper with a watercolor under-painting, then pastel and a little pencil line. I'm really experimenting with line and form. The figure is endlessly fascinating and difficult to capture, so I've tried to keep it simple, get the gesture and the solidity of the forms, not worry about likeness or the proportions so much. I think the proportions come with practice. The more I focus on the gesture and the form, the better everything else  feels and falls into place. Practice, practice, practice.....





8 comments:

Vanessa said...

Beautiful work! Your figures have a wonderful softness and essence to them!

gretchen said...

these are wonderful!

chris said...

Very nice. Your work always leaves me breathless. BTW, I noticed you will be teaching a workshop in Massachusetts next fall - do you know where? I hope to attend. Thanks, Chris

Cmichaudart said...

These are lovely. Enjoying them immensely. Have you ever heard that we tend to put ourselves in our figure drawings?? (i.e. mine always have large, rather lovely, hips....hmmm). And so....?

Jo Reimer said...

These are among the most appealing of figure paintings that I've seen. I love how you set off the beautifully rendered form against unusual backgrounds. Wow!

Carole Reid said...

These are done beautifully with gentleness and boldness at the same time.

Marla Baggetta said...

Thank you ALL for the encouragement!! It really means so much to me!!

Marla Baggetta said...

Chris, I'll be teaching in MA, in September. From the 24th-30th. Two sessions. I don't have all the particulars yet. I'll be leading the workshop for a pastel society there. I'll have more details on my website as they are available to me.

Love to have you in the workshop!!