Paul’s 100 Day Challenge; Sketchbook

[PaulDidier]

Hi Deborah. Thanks for your comments about my daughter and my work. She’s recovering nicely. Primarily just struggling with the meds they gave her, especially the antibiotics, (making her lethargic). But healing really well. It’s giving me some time to hang with her and watch movies and anime.

I definitely know what you mean about short poses being a challenge for us perfectionists. I initially really struggled with them but now I absolutely love them. I have a difficult time starting to draw or paint without doing some first. As I’ve mentioned, I really find a similarity between them and warming up before doing a sport.

I credit my first life drawing teacher with my developing a love for quick gesture. From him I also was introduced to Heinrich Kley, Daumier, (two of the greatest gesture artists I know of), Robert Henri and Joseph Clement Cole. All huge influences on my life. He also required we buy Kimon Nicolaides’ “The Natural Way to Draw.” Gesture is a center piece of this book.

The best thing I can think of that helped me become a huge fan of quick gesture may be difficult for you to do at this time because of the pandemic. That’s finding a life drawing class where they make quick gesture a priority. There’s something about working from life, where the pose will end in 30 seconds, or a minute, and you can’t replay it that imparts an urgency and focus that’s very challenging and also very exciting, (especially when you nail the gesture!)

I would urge you to keep at it. If I could give one bit of advice that made a difference for me, it’s don’t worry about how it looks! It’s a gesture and you only have a few seconds. Tell yourself there’s no way it’s going to look great, (when it does though it’s a rush!), and all you’re trying to do is get a feel for the movement of the model or the emotion they’re feeling, (in cases where the model is showing fear or anger or shock, etc). When drawing from a live model I like standing at an easel and sometimes actually find myself moving my body in a similar way as the pose without even being aware I’m doing it.

Whew, here I am getting long-winded again. Sorry, but this stuff really gets me excited! It’s what’s kept me focused on art through the years. When you begin to really feel gesture you see it all around you. In nature and even in structures. And the subtle gestures are where it’s most critical. A person slouching in a chair or a person looking bored. Here’s an example from one of my favorites, Daumier.

It’s called “The Drinkers.” You don’t even need to know the title to know these guys, especially the one on the left, are drunk. His overly straight back as one trying not to appear drunk says it all.

I downloaded it from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’m assuming it’s okay to download since they provide a download button.

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

[Debbie H]

Hi Paul,

Not at all! I appreciate your generosity that you took the time to give me an in depth answer! It’s first thing in the morning here in Australia, so I haven’t had a chance to look the references up that you mention, but I will do so today. The gesture in that image does tell the story! Yes, this pandemic is making a lot of things difficult to access and the pause button is  VERY tempting in the short pose videos. I’m afraid I’ve used it more often than I’d like to admit! I’m sure though that if I give myself permission for the outcome to be horrid, then I can stick to the timer. I’ve always loved looking at gestural drawings – they’re so alive, but felt that it lives in a world outside my realm of possibility. If you’re a perfectionist too, then it gives me hope that I can learn to do it. I’ll make it a daily warm up too (and maybe post a few if I’m brave enough!) Thank you for your encouragement and advice.

I’m glad your daughter is recovering well. Tooth extraction is not a nice thing to go through! Especially four at once 😖!

Deborah

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Deborah. I use the pause button often too. It’s very hard to resist and it’s often times okay, especially if the sketch is going well and you want to get into it more. That’s why a live model is so valuable. When the pose is over, it’s over! But the videos work too, even with the pause button. I just tell myself that before each session I’ll absolutely not use it for at least 3 or 4 of the poses.

Here’s day 34. Working on controlling my tendency to let the values get too extreme, especially in the highlights as Joshua mentioned. Also working with the figure masses more.

 

[Natacha]

Hi Paul, this last work is awesome. Everything is proportionate and the folds of clothes also are well put ! Very nice 🙂

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Natacha. I felt better about it too. Although this morning when I look at it I’m struck by how rough and grainy the paint looks. Ideally I’d like to have a smoother feel more in line with what fabric should look like. But that’s the process of learning to use a new medium. Gouache blends very differently from oil or acrylic. I’m just glad to look at the image this morning and not see wildly too light highlights for a change! Little steps…

 

[Paula B]

Love the weight and volume of the clothing on this last one 😀

[Chris_Legaspi]

Hi Paul, wonderful sketchbook pages so far. A sketchbook page is a life changing practice. Very inspiring what you are doing.

As for your work, your figures are very strong, especially your sense of gesture. For me, I really enjoy the graphic quality of your gouache paintings. The outer shape reads so well. Keep pushing that. Look forward to more of your work.

[PaulDidier]

Chris, thanks so much for your comments. I really appreciate it. Gouache is so challenging for me, not sure why, but I’ve always wanted to learn how to use it well.

I want to tell you I’ve enjoyed your teaching very much. I think your charcoal videos helped me tremendously. I’m not posting any of my charcoal work for this challenge but I’ve been working in it a lot the last year and it’s been so satisfying. Of course it carries over into my ink drawing, painting and probably into my gouache efforts. Thanks again!

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Paula. I’m so enjoying following your work on your thread. I appreciate your kind words.

 

Here’s Day 35

 

 

[Debbie H]

Hi Paul, you capture movement and gesture so well! It’s inspiring to see. Your gouache practice is really paying off – you’re looking pretty comfortable with it now. Do you plan to introduce colour at some stage? I like your approach to start out just using value to get a handle on the medium.

[Lucas a.k.a “Roams”]

damn those figures are cool man 😀 im gonna start figure drawing as of today i think xD

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Lucas and Deborah. I really appreciate your comments.

Lucas, looking forward to seeing your figure studies. I would have a hard time doing just one type of study for 100 days. I find I kind of zone out after a while without some variety. Same goes for the medium. That’s why I’m switching back and forth between gouache and ink. I’m probably going to start doing some pencil rendering soon too. Good luck! I’ll be following your efforts.

Deborah, yes I plan to do colour at some point but I’m going to go there very gradually. I think that was one of the things that messed me up in the past when I tried to learn gouache. Color, for me, made gouache much more complicated. I want to absolutely have a good feel for blending, paint consistency and a good sense of the value changes when the paint dries.

Here’s day 36.

After spending so much time trying to be loose, I decided to let my “inner renderer” have some fun. My natural tendency is to paint like this and sometimes even when I draw. I didn’t have time to finish. I wanted to add the sky and clean up some of the roughing in strokes. I may revisit this later and do that.

 

 

 

 

 

[Lucas a.k.a “Roams”]

yeah it gets really stale and stops being fun xD thank you ill need it haha….i really like how the right side of that piece is left unfinished and kind of breaking apart…i reckon you should keep that element to it. was that done in gouache aswell?

[PaulDidier]

Hi Lucas. Yes gouache. I really had fun with this. I’ve always enjoyed creating textures. I left the right side like that deliberately, although might have worked a bit more on the design of it if I’d had time. I wanted the main focus to be the large wood posts and the texture there and in the surrounding stone.

[David Carter]

Top work as usual Paul.  I love that stone work with the slightly exaggerated perspective.  Might have a go at sketching it myself :o)

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