Authentic

In these figure studies the line searches its way through the body and along its contours.  Sometimes it gets lost or disoriented and in some passages it appears to be celebrating some assurance.  This is a sensitive, inspiring page because it reflects how the mind works: in and out of certainty.  In art-making the claim that you know what you’re doing is suspect. Images that come only out of know-how are always lifeless and feel unauthentic.  What we mean by “authentic” is hard to analyze, but the recognition is unmistakable.

Drawing by Gaby Edgerton, Aquarellabe on gloss paper, 11” x 17”

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com

www.katherinehilden.com

www.khilden.com

Read Full Post »

Four Life Studies

For these two-minute life studies I worked with aquarellable pencil on gloss paper, 11x 17. Two minutes is enough time to work out some specific anatomical features. Compare these to the one-minute studies at https://artamaze.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/giacometti-and-me/.
All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.
http://facefame.wordpress.com
http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com
http://www.katherinehilden.com
http://www.khilden.com

Read Full Post »

Hand Study

When we have a model in drawing class, I sometimes can’t resist and I join in for a quick study. I love drawing hands.
Stabilo Aquarellable pencil on Gloss paper.
All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.
http://facefame.wordpress.com
http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com
http://www.katherinehilden.com
http://www.khilden.com

Read Full Post »

Life Studies

These drawings were not demos.  I encourage my students to take risks when they work from the figure. When we have a model, I sometimes do some drawing myself.  I want to show how scribbly my own work is and how I leave every line without erasing.  The quest for perfection is paralyzing and perfection itself –well, we don’t even know what that is, but I can tell you it’s boring.

Above, three quick head studies in pencil, 11 x 17.

A figure study, pencil, 11 x 17.

Figure study in Aquarellable Pencil and watercolor wash, on index (non-glossy), 11 x 14.

Let’s crop that last one.

So much more immediate and engaging.

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com 

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com

Read Full Post »

Head Study from Ad

How hard is it to get somebody to sit still for you?  Very.  For free? Forget it.  The going rate for models at art schools is $45-$50/hr. You can’t afford that, just for your own practice.  So that’s out. But you need to and want to draw faces, hands, the figure.

Look around you.  You’re actually inundated with images.  The photography in magazines is excellent.  Some of it, of course, is touched up to a bland, lifeless  perfection.  But much advertising is excellent.  Part of your visual self-education involves spotting the good stuff.  A good image to work from has distinctive shadows, motion and asymmetry.

I bring magazine clippings to class for us to work from.  When it was demo time a couple of weeks ago, a student pulled out this clipping. My demo was about the versatility of the Aquarellable Pencil, using two tones, sepia and black and then going in with a wet brush.  Notice how the unpredictability of the wash adds character and depth to the face, which otherwise might have gone into the bland, lifeless direction.

(Btw, this was the demo that inspired Karen to make the three face studies I presented in the previous post.)

Moral: there’s no excuse to go for a day without drawing.

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com 

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com

Read Full Post »

Three Face Studies

When I fill a long studio table with materials for a demo—papers and various drawing tools—I only intend to offer ideas and present possibilities.  Nothing I say ever amounts to an assignment and if it did, ha, are you kidding we don’t do assignments.  So, no assignments for this group, but when it comes to inspiration they do respond in the most amazing way.

Here’s a student, Karen, who has only worked with pencil before and look what happens after a half hour demo with Aquarellable Pencil and Ink.

Not only does she use the aquarellable with complete abandon and ease, but she draws this face (from a photo) with pronounced and expressive  asymmetry.  Symmetry takes a bit of dexterity to pull off but basically it’s easy. Also… boring, static, dead.  What’s harder is asymmetry and, I think, that’s because it takes more courage.  So, does the facile, wipeable water-soluble pencil boost the artist’s courage?  Hmm.  Maybe. Since you can’t really make a mistake, you can try anything.  That’s a good state of mind to be in when you’re drawing.

Another characteristic of the Aquarellable Pencil is that it glides over gloss paper without pressure. It feels effortless.

All three drawings are on gloss paper, the first two in Aquarellable Pencil and the third in ink.

(Click for enlargements.)

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com 

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com

Read Full Post »

Aquarellable Pencil

As the name implies, an aquarellable pencil makes a water-soluble line.  After you’ve put down some lines and shading with this pencil, you can go back in with a water-laden brush and make the lines “bleed” or create some other interesting havoc.  When you work this way on gloss paper, nothing seeps in, and if you want you can just take a damp paper towel and wipe everything off.  Your page, in other words, is infinitely malleable.  When you wipe off a passage (or the whole thing), it doesn’t feel like erasing , because the removal is instant and effortless—and does not involve a sanctified ERASER, you know, that thing that screams “you made a mistake” at you.  No mistakes here.  The aquarellable is a no-fault medium.  Easy, forgiving and you don’t know where it will take you.

I gave a couple of demos last class, one for the Aquarellable Pencil (made by Schwan) and the other for ink, permanent and water-soluble (by Higgins).  A couple of students took off—fearlessly.

The drawing, above, won everyone’s admiration.  It’s about 14 x 11.  You can move in close to study its subtleties and you can step back to share its atmosphere.  The wet brush dissolved the aquarellable pencil lines with messy control.  Without this kind of oxymoron you can’t get this kind of magic.  Gaby had worked with the aquarellable before, but never with such daring and with such delicate effect.

Although I describe this medium as forgiving, I strongly advise that you make studies of your subject to get thoroughly familiar with it and to allow yourself to develop an emotional take on the subject.

These are the studies  Gaby made before she produced her loose and very moving drawing. Click for enlargements.

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com 

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://katherinehilden.wordpress.com

Read Full Post »