More Sketch Stuff

I thought I'd post some more images and thoughts on drawing and painting from life.  We had another life drawing session in my studio on Wednesday night.  I got to paint a little more from the figure, including adding a figure to last week's oil sketch.

Here's a detail of the figure that I did last week.

Now here's the oil sketch with the new figure added.

We usually start our figure drawing sessions with about 10 minutes' worth of short, 30-second gesture poses.  Here's one page of those sketches - the paper is about 30"x24", which gives you an idea as to the size.  Sketches like this are a good way to loosen up both the model and the artists.  I've found that if you just start with a longer pose, then the model usually settles into a really boring position and the artists (meaning me) can't draw or paint worth a hoot.  It's like trying to play a baseball or basketball game without warming up.  

Sure has been fun working with real, live models again.  I have been pretty happy with the way that my drawing and painting abilities have picked up almost where they left off last year.  But these sessions are ending now that I'm heading back to Iraq.  Sigh. 

Today I'm going to pack up a box full of stuff to send to myself - oil paints, acrylic mediums, and a few other nitnoid items.  On Sunday, I'll be heading out to the Corps of Engineers training facility for five days worth of learning to be a Corps guy.  Then next Friday, I'll get on a plane and head off to never-never land again.  Vacation's almost over - time to get back to work.