Figure Drawing Class with Robert Liberace , Pen, Ink and Brush

In figure drawing class with Robert Liberace we experimented with using pen, ink and brush to create spontaneous studies of the figure. Rob did a demo using sepia ink (made from the ink from cuttlefish) with pen and brush. Starting with a quick pencil sketch to block in the figure, he moves to pen and ink . Using a nib that responds to pressure Rob scribbles and hatches in the figure. His lines are calligraphic and spontaneous. Using a brush and ink he draws the shadows and adds accents. This technique is best done on a small scale and using paper such as Fabriano Ingres (which has a good amount of sizing).



Robert Liberace demonstrates using brush and ink to draw the figure.
Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Finished figure study. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Woman Sleeping by Rembrandt, ink and brush.



Another Rembrandt sketch using pen, ink and brush.

Using Red Chalk on Tinted Paper Continued

In figure drawing class, with instructor Robert Liberace, we started a new pose. I have been experimenting with using terra cotta pencils on hand tinted paper. The paper is prepared with a mixture of watercolor and shellac, which allows for highlights to be erased out and gives a nice surface for layering the terra cotta. White highlights can also be added with a white pastel.

This technique is similar to the red chalk drawings created by Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael. The red chalk and tinted paper give the drawings a warm quality.

Last week I finished a long study with this technique and today I started a new study.



Red chalk study by Marie Dauenheimer.



Red chalk drawing, early phase, by Marie Dauenheimer.

Creating Marbleized Paper

This past Sunday my family and I went to painter Liz Floyd's home and studio to experiment with making marbleized paper. Liz is an accomplished painter and had created marbleized paper before.

Marbling paper is an ancient art form involving aqueous surface design. Using oil paint, linseed oil, mineral spirits, water and paper you can create the illusion of marble. Below is a step by step of how we created marbleized paper



Oil paints are put in individual bowls for mixing with mineral spirits.



Paints are mixed with mineral spirits using a palette knife.



Oil paints are dripped onto water (prepared with linseed oil). The paints
float on the surface of the water.



The oil paints are dripped into the water, creating a pattern.



Bond paper, cut to the size of the enamel tray, is carefully
laid on top of the paints.



Another design of oil paints dripped into the linseed oil
treated water.



Some of the finished marbleized paper.
All photos by Marie Dauenheimer.

Figure Drawing Class with Robert Liberace, Exploring Prud'hon's Technique

In today's Figure Drawing class, with instructor Robert Liberace, we explored the technique used by French Romanticist Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823). Prud'hon is known for his stunning toned paper drawings using charcoal and white chalk to create a sculptural drawing. Rob did a wonderful demo of Prud'hon's drawing technique used blue tinted Ingres paper, vine charcoal, compressed charcoal, charcoal pencils, white chalk and white charcoal pencils, brushes and a chamois.



Liberace begins by blocking in the figure with vine charcoal. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



As Liberace develops the drawing he blocks in the large shadows with charcoal and the highlights using white chalk, in a criss cross manner. This is how Prud'hon developed his works. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Finished demo drawing by Liberace. The finished drawing was built up using layers of charcoal and white chalk. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.



Sketch by Prud'hon showing criss cross application of shadows and highlights.



Drawing by Prud'hon, female back.



Another finished Prud'hon drawing.

Artist Rebecca Alzofon has reconstructed, step by step, Prud'hon's technique. Her website is very complete and worth a look.

National Gallery of Art Program "Seeing Rembrandt's Thoughts"

Last week I attended an educational program at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) on how art conservators, using x-radiographs, can see how Rembrandt developed his paintings. The program was lead by Melanie Gifford, Research Conservator for Painting Technology at the National Gallery of Art's Conservation Department. The program began with Gifford explaining how Rembrandt worked. He typically covered his canvas with a red ground, followed by a gray ground, he would then freely draw and block in the figures using brown paint. His underpainting was applied with bright pigment and in an exuberant manner. The final layer was applied thickly with an impasto that is one of Rembrandt's signatures. He layered the paint on the canvas, almost sculpting the features of his sitters. He also used a sharp tool to scratch paint out. We were able to observe these techniques by viewing the Rembrandts in the Dutch Galleries at the NGA with the use of monocular devices and by looking at x-radiographs of the paintings.



Detail of Rembrandt's "Self Portrait", 1659, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.



"A Polish Nobleman" by Rembrandt, 1637, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

During the program we examined paintings once attributed to Rembrandt, but now believed to be by Rembrandt's workshop. By studying the underpainting conservators can reconstruct how the paint was applied. The bravado with which Rembrandt painted is difficult to copy. Below is a painting once thought to be by Rembrandt, but now thought to be by his student Govaert Flinck.



"Man in Oriental Costume" by Rembrandt and his Workshop (probably Govaert Flinck), 1635, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

On March 5, 2011 I will be attending an all day workshop at the NGA called "Views of Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals". This program will focus on the upcoming National Gallery of Art exhibition on Canaletto's paintings of Venice (February 10-May 30, 2011).

Exploring Visual Texture

My drawing students are about to begin an assignment focusing on visual texture. Visual texture is when you create the illusion of physical texture with marks. A fun way to explore texture is with plants and vegetables, I love to draw the shiny polished surface of a pepper or apple and juxtapose it to the roughened surface of a pineapple or coconut. This afternoon I did a few sketches showing plant textures.

For those of you interested in plant textures and drawing plants there is a new book out by Sarah Simblet called Botany for Artists. I plan on blogging about this wonderful book in a future post.

Another artist I have long admired for his use of texture in drawing is Dutch printmaker Jakob Demus. He creates his remarkable prints by using drypoint on copper plates. I saw an exhibition of his work in Amsterdam at the Rembrandthuis and was amazed with the textural interest in his prints. Below is his diamond drypoint print of irises.

In a past post I mentioned botanic artist Ann Swan's book called "Botanical Portraits". Below is her graphite drawing of peppers. I like how she juxtaposed the shiny outside with the rough interior.



Plant textures. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer



Sketch of delpheniums by Marie Dauenheimer



Sketch by Marie Dauenheimer



Drypoint etching of irises by Jakob Demus.



Graphite drawing of peppers by Ann Swan.

Open Life Drawing Sessions at the Art Institute of Washington

For the past five years I have been running an open life drawing session at the Art Institute of Washington in Arlington, VA. The sessions are a joint effort with the Illustrators Club and are on Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00PM. There is another session on Friday evenings, same place and time as the Thursday sessions, monitored by Tom Broad.

At the Art Institute of Northern Virginia in Sterling, VA there is a session run by Jason Axtell. This session is Tuesday evenings from 6:00-9:00PM.

The sessions are attended by local artists, illustrators, graphic designers and other creative professionals as well as Ai faculty, students, staff and alumni.

It is a great atmosphere to draw in. Take look at a few of the drawings created on Thursday evening, they are by Web Bryant, Liz Floyd and myself. Please join us for drawing!



Sketch book page of 10 minute poses by Liz Floyd.



Charcoal sketch by Web Bryant.



Graphite sketch by Lucinda Levine.



Sketchbook page by Marie Dauenheimer.