Having posed for London Drawing at three different venues in the past month it was now my turn to supply the setting. Modelling for their online life drawing this Saturday morning and the following Tuesday evening, I would be welcoming virtual visitors into the dedicated studio space of my own home.
Artwork by Carol Smith.
Artwork by Carol Smith.
I’d recently revamped one end of the room especially for my online work. On the wall facing its large window I’d fitted a curtain pole high above the radiator then hung light (cream) and dark (aubergine) curtains at either end as alternative backdrops. Behind these I fitted another pole for hanging a colourful hippy sheet as an exotic option.
Artwork by Jean.
Artwork by Jean.
Artwork by Mary F.
Artwork by Shaun.
Artwork by Shaun.
Artwork by Shaun.
This session would be my first working with Macclesfield Art Tutor, artist Susannah Pal. Before starting we shared ideas and tested options. Susannah favoured the light backdrop, so we stuck with that. When our artists joined us, we treated them to quick poses: 10 minutes, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 15 and 5 minutes up to a short break.
Artwork by Peter.
20-minute, 20-minute, and 5-minute poses brought the session to a close. There was time left to admire the artworks of anyone willing to hold them in front of their camera, after which we all quit Zoom and I was once more alone… as I had been all along. It’s still a curious practice for me, but I’m increasingly loving it and hope to do more.
This session for one of Adrian Dutton’s groups at the Garrett Centre was without a key ingredient: Adrian himself. Sad circumstances called for him to be elsewhere, but this afforded the rare delight of an evening hosted by Adrian’s wife, Anya. It had been several years since the last occasion, but Anya is always and utterly reliable.
Artwork by Agustin Coll.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
Anya stuck to a winning formula: artists on seats and at easels arranged in a square, model on gym mats at the centre, spotlight overhead, webcams for attendees online. We started with one 10-minute pose followed by five 1-minute poses, then continued with poses of 5, 10 and 20 minutes up to our break. Everything like clockwork.
Artwork by Tamar Ben Joya.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
This remains the only group I know that offers free, freshly cooked hot food for model and artists alike at the interval. After a delicious bowl of dhal we resumed our art with five more 1-minute poses – to get everybody re-energised – before finishing with one pose of 15 minutes and one of 20 minutes.
Artwork by Tamar Ben Joya.
Artwork by Agustin Coll.
And as ever artists are invited to share their work at the end by placing it on the floor, to inspire or simply be admired by others. Certainly they had my admiration; so much precisely observed, boldly interpreted, beautifully created art. Lovely people too. I left Bethnal Green in high spirits. This was a particularly good one.
My third booking with London Drawing this year was my first at their Covent Garden venue: Westminster Quaker Meeting House. It would also be a first chance to work with tutor Josie Deighton – someone I felt I’d known from afar for years without ever having occasion to meet in person. It was a pleasure to put that right.
The wide space of the meeting house hall had room enough for many artists but only three or four were present when I arrived early. One never knows what attendance to expect when somewhere new so I was delighted to see what must have been almost forty artists all keen to draw as we began with five poses of 2 minutes.
Unfazed by the high turnout, Josie diligently worked the room, proffering constructive advice to each individual artist. I too was shown every care and consideration as she frequently checked whether there was anything I might want or need. But I am a very low maintenance life model. 🙂 Poses of 5, 20 and 20 minutes took us to a break.
Artwork by Greg Genestine-Charlton.
Our second half was not wildly dissimilar to the first. Again we started with five poses each of 2 minutes, but so sharply that I barely had time to finish my tea. What else to do except freeze in a dynamic panicked pose with the mug to my lips? One half-hour pose completed a session of great energy and positivity. Thank you, Josie!
As ever at Hesketh Hubbard Art Society sessions, three models were booked: one to stay clothed for portraits, one for a single long nude pose, and one for ‘quick’ nude poses. This evening I was delighted to be back on quicks, but on arriving found most society members were evidently more delighted by the prospect of Layla on long!
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
I reckon I had about a dozen artists attending me – what organiser Simon referred to as ‘the elite’ – whereas Layla had possibly three times as many. She’s a great person and worthy of exceptional attention. But when artists have choices and a minority opt to swim against the tide to see what I can do, I feel obligated to give them everything.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Maria Antonia Aracil.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
For the first half I was required to provide four poses of 15 minutes each. I must have made the first a tad too dynamic, standing high with an arm even higher, as at times I felt oddly wobbly and flushed as if with vertigo. I stayed sensible, settled and focused thereafter; still putting in a shift, but preserving enough of myself for after the break.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Maria Antonia Aracil.
Artwork by Geoff Ramsey.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Usually in art spaces my bare feet collect charcoal dust at half-time intervals. Here in genteel Mall Galleries, however, they gather biscuit crumbs. After tea and digestives and a custard cream too many, I finished with two 30-minute poses. The last took my remaining reserves, but… it’s a modelling thing: energised despite pain, I felt strong.
This was my first visit to The Art of Isolation in Surrey Quays since I’d posed as part of their 2023 end-of-year party. There was never going to be the same artist numbers on a Saturday after Easter but it was nice to see several familiar friendly faces.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Natalia Boyarintseva.
This session was focused on ‘foreshortening and anatomy’. I usually showcase these wherever I go as an inevitable consequence of my physique, but here I offered a little extra emphasis. We began with poses of 10, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5 and 10 minutes.
One pose of 15 minutes completed our first half. I stood in an open stance, left hand on left hip, outstretched right hand supported by a pole, ribs and tendons maximised. Even with all this glorious anatomy on show, some just love to make a portrait. 😀
Artwork by Ned.
We paused for tea and biscuits before setting-up a final pose of 35 minutes. This was the prime study of foreshortening: I sat with legs open and out forwards, arms up and out to the sides. Tutor Rod Kitson led with a challenging drawing demo.
Artwork by Rod Kitson.
Artwork by Elin.
As ever when interesting tuition is going on – in this case, the demo – time absolutely raced by. And at the end… all these glorious drawings. It’s great when there’s a party, but still it’s always a joy being party to the real-time creative process with artists.
Packed! When Waterloo Action Centre fills to near-capacity with life drawing artists, each one silent yet focused and active, the place buzzes with energy that demands a creative response. It’s inspiring for the life model and hopefully all involved.
The scene could hardly have been more different when I arrived, a half-hour early so promo photos could be taken. At that point, me and just one artist were outnumbered by no fewer than three London Drawing tutors! But the balance soon shifted.
After our promo shoot, tutors Anne and Calvin went off to another venue, leaving the keen and engaging Rossen to lead this session. Artists were still arriving and settling into horseshoes of chairs and easels as the clock ticked past our 6:30pm start time
Rossen waited while latecomers – delayed only by weight of numbers – found places from which to draw but there comes a point where we have to get underway, even if a few are still setting-up. We began with one 10-minute pose and four 5-minute poses.
This was my first time working with Rossen but I felt he very quickly understood what my physique could offer. He asked whether the final 5-minute pose – upright, leaning forward with one foot on a chair – could go to 10 minutes, and I happily agreed.
A 20-minute seated pose took us to a break. It was a pity that the sounds of puttering nearby (essential) heater motors plus a resonance in the cavernous girder-supported space meant I couldn’t hear Rossen’s tips for artists as he worked the room.
After the interval, Rossen placed a folded trestle table flat upon the floor and covered its top with padding. This would be my platform for a 45-minute reclining pose, taking us to our finish. With limbs at various angles and elevations, I got comfy.
I hadn’t noticed Anne’s return but she joined us for the end of what was – as she said later in her Instagram post below – a super class. To cap a great evening, I was even given the drawing of me as fallen Icarus (above) as a gift. Thank you!
Under multicoloured spotlights in a back room of The Village Green pub, I began my life modelling return for Art in the Village with four 2-minute poses; seated on a table at the centre of the room, turning 90° each time, brandishing polystyrene blocks…
In truth our lighting was much closer to natural white light. As every lamp was formed of multiple tiny coloured bulbs, however, it somehow tricked our cameras into making me look weirdly purple. No such problems for the artists drawing me, though.
Next I was asked to recline for the main pose that would occupy the remainder of our session. Happy to oblige, I settled back and arranged my limbs such that each would add something unique to my overall topography when observed from any direction.
We took a break after 20 minutes. Not that I needed a break from the pose itself, but the time had come for tea and biscuits. I was being exceptionally well catered-for, as I’d already been served a delicious cappuccino upon arrival. It’s nice to be spoiled. 🙂
After these refreshments I resumed my pose. Photos taken in the first half were used as an aid for fine-tuning me back into position. Upon restarting, group organiser Cleo continued sharing advice and encouragement with artists, as she had throughout.
It would be impossible to praise Cleo too highly for her thoughtfulness and generosity; before, during, and after the life drawing. Her group truly feels like a community within a community. Muswell Hill is blessed… and so was I to have been invited back.
steve ritter 