So, we finally had some instruction today! I guess she was waiting for us to get comfortable Drawing nude people before giving us specifics. At any rate, I am thrilled. And, coincidentally, the lesson was about proportion. Rather than teach us using a proscribed formula, like the video lesson referenced below, she taught us how to hold up a dowel rod and make a kind of grid on the paper before beginning the drawing.

Of course, we started with the usual fast gesture drawings. Roderick was back and he almost continuously flows from one pose to the other, with short pauses in between. This is very challenging and invariably I end up with multiple poses connected and superimposed upon each other. It's basically a mess of scribbling. I won't offend your eyes by posting them.

Then he was told to take a 25 minute pose and our instructor told us how to use our dowel rod, held at arm's length, to eyeball the distance from one bodily landmark to another and draw grid lines at those locations. I started out with chunk charcoal, progressed to a charcoal pencil, and finally ended up using my ebony pencil. The lighter pencil definitely works better for making the grid marks! It would have been nice if I had been told that ahead of time, but I guess it was actually rather obvious and I'm probably just a nitwit. At any rate, 25 minutes was barely enough time to get started with this new technique. Here is the result:

Like usual, I ran out of time. Only it was worse because at least half the time was spent making the grid. I am quite pleased with the proportion, though. I just wish I had more time to actually finish the drawing. And, man, those hands look bad! I've been wondering if we would be allowed to photograph the model and finish the drawing at home. It's very frustrating to have a good drawing started and then have to stop, with no chance of ever finishing it.

Apparently, we only have two models to work from! I have no doubt Melody will be back on Wednesday. I would really like a little more variety in the models, but am learning a lot nonetheless. I found out today the university is about to advertise for models. The starting pay is $15.00 per hour. That's not much for the hard work they do!

Ooh, and I got my graded drawing back from last week. The one of Melody, with the striped blanket that I only drew under duress. I got an A- for composition and and A for drawing technique! Woo hoo! The reason I didn't get an A for the composition was because she was placed slightly to left on the paper and was also looking to the left. The teacher explained to me that the viewer's eyes are drawn toward the direction the model is looking so the drawing should be placed slightly to the opposite side. That makes a lot of sense to me and I was so happy she explained it to me. (Of course, I think I'm doing well just to get the whole figure on the page!