Nightshade

Nightshade   conte crayon   19.5 x 12.5

is a drawing done with conte crayon on an unknown kind of paper from my storage box.  I am trying to remember to label all of my papers, but am not always good at it.  As previously written, these sessions with the young dancers from Ballet Excel Ohio have provided the opportunity for me to break out of my usual routines with some experimentation...for me, having a few unknowns pushes my boundaries and provides stimulation in my R-brain.  The lighting, the pose, and yes, the model herself in her ability to relate to the artists provide variables to which we must adjust.  I look for lights that lead into each other in a sort of pattern.  Likewise with the darker shapes.  I like spontaneity as well as its polar opposite, deliberate refinement.  This particular drawing works for me.

The costume for this young dancer is that of a nightshade, a dark dancer that is a kind of minion for the queen, as I was told...a nightshade plant being that which is poisonous.

Darks.  Lights.  Makes for a good drawing.

Tutu

Tutu   watercolor pencil and walnut ink   19.75 x 12

The collaboration between Cuyahoga Valley Art Center and Ballet Excel Ohio has provided live models in the way of young dancers once a week for some time now.  I eagerly look forward to each session.  This series has provided the opportunity for experimentation...to use some of the forgotten drawing tools in my art box. 

I started with a half-sheet of Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor paper.  This sheet has many uses in that it is partially synthetic, thin and will not buckle.  During the entire 2 1/2 session, I used Derwent watercolor sketching pencils in light wash, medium and dark, alternating drawing with broad washes of water during the breaks.  At home, some washes of walnut ink completed the work.  For me, the challenge involved the pushing and pulling of strokes to reveal what is more important to the pose; and, conversely the less important. For this reason, I have always had such a difficulty with chairs and stools, as I realize the importance of having a support for the pose, yet despise the weight given to it.

This model wore the traditional tutu, hence the title.  I am pleased.