Some studies of the Capitoline Venus

We're fortunate enough here in DC to have the Capitoline Venus at the National Gallery on loan from the Capitoline Museum in Rome. Here's a few of my studies of her.  http://www.nga.gov/press/2011/venus.shtm

"Why won't he just stay down?"

some figure sketches

These are a few sketches I did recently in my sketchbook in order to blow the cobwebs off of my drawing supplies and also to draw focusing on surface anatomy and underslying form, rather than rendering the light as it falls accross the forms.  Not that there'a anything wrong with fousing on light rather than form - you have to do both - just placing emphasis on one rather than the other.  Each on took about 30 minutes or so.

Lucian Freud

"The picture, in order to move us, must never merely remind us of life, but must acquire a life of its own, precisely in order to reflect life."

Japanese Girl

This is a sketch from a vintage photo that I did the other night on newsprint. Instead of using a pencil, I used what is basically a sponge on a stick to spread charcoal dust around, then removed some of it with an eraser. The idea is to focus on the big picture (no pun intended) rather that on tiny details.

"Fume'e d'Amber Gris"

Well its been awhile. Life has been getting in the way of drawing lately, but I finally finished this study based on a large oil painting by Sargent that he did in 1880 while he was in North Africa. The study is about 9x12, charcoal and white pastel on Canson toned paper. Unfortunately, I'm still limited to my cell phone camera, so its a tad blurry. 

The King in his Court

Today we were in our local shopping mall and I saw this group of older gentlemen playing cards.  They are there every week so it was time to draw them.