Monday's Nude - original charcoal life drawing

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Here's a nude I did a couple of months ago - it's on 12 x 9" Strathmore drawing paper.  Thanks for looking!

Flamenco Sketch - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's a sketch of a flamenco dancer done in charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper.  This drawing is about 8 x 14".  Have been watching "Great Artists of the Italian Renaissance" from The Great Courses.  It's just wonderful and the instructor makes what could just bore one to death, very interesting.  I've listened to and watched many of their offerings and recommend them highly.  Thank you for stopping by  (Originally, my drawing was cropped in the photo to 8 x 8", but I like it this size a lot more.  Always a fan of portraits and figures in a horizontal format.)

On My Easel - The Midnight Oil - original charcoal portrait drawing in progress

I've been taking a course that works with design webbing and tried to do this drawing according to what I've been learning.  I don't know if I totally succeeded and when I do the painting, will probably bring her up on the page a little bit.  Or maybe I'll just darken the bottom of the painting.  Hmmm - much to think about - so I'd better get this finished before I worry about doing a painting.  This is done on Strathmore drawing paper, 14 x 17".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

On My Easel - Her Sketchbook - original charcoal portrait drawing in progress

She really seems pleased with her artwork and I'm looking forward to working on this some more and getting it finished - much to do, though, to get to that point.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of Kerri Looking Down - original charcoal drawing of a nude

This drawing's on Strathmore

drawing paper, 11 x 14".  Thanks for stopping by!

Another Seated Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Here's another drawing from awhile back - I've been hung up on the Mad Men marathon, then the final episode (sob) and have done very little in the way of art.  Now I'll get back to work.  This drawing is about 11 x 14".   It has some lines in the background and a few on the figure itself that are kind of a mystery - a good bit of restating going on, I think.  I always like seeing the original intentions and then what finally happened.  Anyway, it looks like a drawing I enjoyed doing.  Thanks for stopping by!

Standing Charcoal Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude

 I always love standing poses.  This one was done months ago at a drawing group and everything I'm working on at the moment is nowhere near being finished - can't even be a 'work in progress'.  It's very handy to have lots of drawings around for times like this.  This one is about 14 x 8" - thanks for looking!

Flamenco in Charcoal - original charcoal figurative drawing

I adore working in charcoal and I love flamenco, thus, this drawing.  It's 12 x 8" on plate Bristol paper.  Thanks for looking!

Lindy's Curls - original charcoal portrait drawing

A compressed charcoal drawing on Yupo is probably the craziest thing, but that's all I had at the time, so I went with it.  This model's hair has a life of its own and I had to draw it right that minute! There's a lot of "texture" in the negative area that came from the charcoal that found its way there by accident and was impossible to erase, so I've learned to love it.  The compressed charcoal is very deliberate and once a mark was down, I could do little about it.  Yupo is forgiving with watercolor, but not too much with something like compressed charcoal - actually, the compressed kind of charcoal is hard to get rid of on any surface.  Anyway, I enjoyed doing the drawing and am pleased with how it turned out.  It's about 8 x 8".  Thanks for stopping by!

Lindy Sleeping - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's a sketch from life of a sleeping girl - done with compressed charcoal (not my favorite, but okay once in a while) on Bristol paper.  It's about 11 x 14".  I could clean it up, but this is just a quick sketch after all, and I'm always inclined to overdo the cleaning up, so am just leaving it alone.  This is probably one I could use for a painting.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lexie Just Thinking - original charcoal figurative drawing

I always wonder what the model is thinking and how she can possibly stay awake.  They earn their pay!  This one was done with responsive vine charcoal on Bristol paper, 14 x 11".  Thanks for looking!

Nude on Rose Paper - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Here's another nude on some of the patterned paper I've been experimenting with.  I think this is the last of the paper, and I just couldn't resist using the one remaining piece.  I used mostly compressed charcoal with touches of white on this drawing - not my usual, but I feel it worked well.  For me, when working with charcoal, I love the sensitive line that can be achieved with vine charcoal rather than compressed, but compressed was handy and since I'm a lazy artist, I just went ahead and drew with it.  The paper is about 8 1/2 x 11".  Thanks for stopping by!

The Nude on Thursday - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

Just about my favorite subject to draw - the nude from life.  I love poses where the model is looking away and this drawing fills the bill.  Hoping to make it into a painting to see if I can capture her air of mystery.  On 9 x 12" Borden & Riley Paris paper for pens.  Thanks for looking!

Rock Star - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is one that I found while throwing away some old drawings and paintings.  I was so happy to rediscover this one - I did a painting from it back in 2008 and just stuck this poor thing in back of lots of other drawings and forgot all about it.  Thankfully, every now and then I get on a cleaning kick and find all kinds of oldies but goodies.  It's charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper and is about 21 x 15".  Thank you for stopping by!

Jive Crazy - original charcoal figurative drawing

Listening to lots of jive music today, just couldn't help drawing this little couple - they're loving the oldies!  It's on 6 x 6" Bristol board paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Little Black and White Tango - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is about 6 x 6" on Bristol paper.  Thanks for looking! Sold

Charcoal Tango - original charcoal figurative drawing

The tango dancers have danced my way again - this time they're on 14 x 11" Bristol paper.  I used vine charcoal plus General's new Primo Elite Grande charcoal pencil.  Very nice to work with.  Charcoal is probably my all-time favorite to use in my drawings - so responsive and so forgiving and the delicious variety in the strokes one can make with it are such a joy!   Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold
 

Nude Sketch - original charcoal sketch of a nude

It seems I got a little caught up in the model's face and never really "fleshed" it out.  She had such a lovely face and I was trying to do it justice.  Anyway, maybe I'll get another chance with this model - she said she'd be back.  Also, not totally pleased with how I took the photo; maybe I'll retake it tomorrow.  I'm such a nitpicker! Vine charcoal on warm white - with a peach tint - Strathmore 403, it's 12 x 6 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

Black and White Jive - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is on Strathmore 403 paper, which is really formulated for oil pastels, although it's being touted as good for soft pastels, as well.  They should definitely mention that it's also a great and forgiving paper for charcoals.  I enjoyed drawing this one so much, not just because of the paper, but I had fun with my kneaded eraser.  I like to turn a drawing upside down to see if I like the marks and this one pleased me.  It's on 9 x 12" Strathmore 403 - thanks for looking! 

Nude with Her Cell - original charcoal drawing of a nude

It's always so great to have a model, that if they need to talk on their cell - or whatever - it's okay.  Good models are hard to find - or maybe I should say - models are hard to find, whether good or bad.  This one was good, I'm happy to say.  Vine charcoal on drawing paper, it's about 13 x 6".  Thanks for looking.  Steaming in Texas tonight - after 11 o'clock right now and it's 86 degrees!