Don't Afraid: My Drawings

Colorado Academy of Art
Boulder, CO
2007-08
(click on image to enlarge)

The Colorado Academy of Art's two- or four-year Foundation Program offers instruction through classical approaches to art training, from the sight-size method to classical painting techniques, charcoal drawing, and traditional sculpture. I am currently in my first year.

Instructor Ileana Barbu. Course: Human Anatomy.
Charcoal and pastel pencil on mat board. 32x38. May 2008.

I loved creating this. It started from quick sketches of a model--we did a skeleton study in the pose of our choice. When time came to do a muscle study I asked if I incorporate him into a scene. Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson served as inspiration for the finished drawing.

Instructor Pat Redman. Course: Art Materials.
Charcoal powder on paper. Spring 2008.

In Art Materials we experimented with different media, including egg tempura, watercolor, charcoal powder, pastel, and acrylic paint. The drawing above was created by painting on charcoal powder with a brush and adding darker or sharper edges with charcoal pencil.

The Drawing from the Flat course follows the Charles Bargue Drawing Course. We copy Bargue templates in layered graphite.

Arm--After Bargue. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing from the Flat. Graphite. Spring 2008.

Leg--After Bargue. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing from the Flat. Graphite. Spring 2008.

Pair of Legs--After Bargue. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing from the Flat. Graphite. Spring 2008.

Belvedere Torso--After Bargue. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing from the Flat. Graphite. Spring 2008.

Antique Torso after Bargue. Spring 2008.

In the Cast Drawing course we were taught the sight-size method to create accurate copies of casts. This is my final drawing:

After Desiderio da Settignano's Bust of A Little Boy. Instructor David Larsson.
Course: Cast Drawing. Charcoal. Fall 2007.

The following are drawings from a final project for the Drawing Fundamentals course. We were to use graphite in a variety of techniques to complete drawings of specific objects:

Three eggs touching. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Layered graphite. Fall 2007.

Cylinder with pencils. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Tea cup with saucer. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Ribbon tied in bow. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Metal candlestick. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Layered graphite. Fall 2007.

Chair. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Shoe. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Mechanical object. Instructor Michelle Philip.
Course: Drawing Fundamentals. Fall 2007.

Repin Academy and Private Study
St. Petersburg, Russia
July 2006
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I spent the month of July 2006 studying with a group of ten students at the Repin Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. This was during the white nights, and almost felt like a month of dreaming--dreaming and drawing and painting. The experience in Russia brought me to the realization that all I want to do is be an artist. It is no longer about what I want to do with art--what kind of job I can find to make money using my artistic skills and training--but just that I want to create art for the sake of creating art. And I need to pursue serious study.

Instructor Vladimer Alexandravitch

Private Study with Instructor Alexander Zaitsev

Professor Zaitsev follows a very different philosophy than that of the Repin Academy. He encouraged more freedom, movement, and experimentation. We studied in his studio apartment a few evenings each week. We would leave our drawings and the next time we showed up he had worked on them while we were away--varying quality of line or correcting construction problems. He's do so without the model present, but always seemed to improve our drawings. We did both short sketches and long poses each session.

Bridgeview School of Fine Art
Queens, NY
2005-2006
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I saw an exhibit of Russian Impressionist art at the Smithsonian in March 2005 and was inspired to seek out Russian training specifically. Bridgeview is a school created in the Russian academic tradition. Classes were held at night, twice a week. This blog was first created in response to my experience at the school (read my first blog entry).

It is very common for the instructors to work on a student's drawing/painting. I wish I could claim these are 100% mine, but hands on instruction is a great learning tool.

Instructor Alex Razin. 2005.

Instructor Alex Razin. 2006.

Instructor Alex Razin. Quick sketch. 2006.

The Art Students League of New York
New York, NY
2005-2007
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For the most part, my drawing and oil painting classes at the Art Students League were held five days a week, 3-1/2 hour sessions, with the teacher coming in to critique work twice a week. Classes were full--these are some great artist instructors--with about 32 students in a room. Much of my personal growth occured through daily practice and watching the better students in class as they worked.

The League has a great atmosphere and history. I have posted links to the League Web site and to those instructors who have their own Web sites.