Drawing of a man
black marker on watercolour paper
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2009
(not the image I'm showing tomorrow.
See that below.
This was a drawing of Stephen Colbert
from a stopped video frame.)
Tomorrow the largest pen drawing I've ever done willThis was a drawing of Stephen Colbert
from a stopped video frame.)
be featured in a Life Drawing Show here in Toronto.
Come out and see it if you can at The Heliconian Club,
35 Hazelton Ave between 1 and 4. I am bringing
delicious cookies! I have already posted the work
twice, so I'll show a small version below.
My friend Flora asked me to talk about what I learned
doing this big drawing. Good thought Flora.
1. The drawing is on canvas and is done mostly with
acrylic pens. I learned that canvas is not smooth.
2. I learned how to gesso a canvas three times with it
flat on a table, and then scrape the liquid gesso smooth with
a metal utensil used to smooth plaster. Layer over layer the
canvas became soooo smooth it was a delight to touch.
3. I learned that canvas, unlike paper, bounces. It's one
of the things I love about working on canvas, the
bigger the better.
4. I learned that if you put your finger against the canvas
close to where you are attempting to draw fine lines, the
canvas will not bounce.
5. I learned that 3 x 4 feet is a really large drawing. It
took me most of the month to complete it. And yet it
looks simple. Art eh? It's meant to be an illusion.
6. I learned that I love my husband more than ever, because
after the expression on his face in the portrait was right, every
time I walked in the room I smiled. That was my sweetheart alright.
7. I learned you can't do it all. I was tempted to fill in the
suit, but my son the film director said "No. It's enough."
Tonight I'm showing you the drawing of what I might have
done if the drawing like the one above was on paper, smaller,
and I had more time.
You can't keep a good man down
Acrlic pen, and paint on canvas
3 x 4 feet
Barbara Muir © 2020
Come and see this work tomorrow. It looks pretty good.Have a loving what you do day.
2 comments:
Hi Barbara,
These drawings are lovely, both of them! Yes, drawing large is quite the endeavour, and you nailed it. I like the list of things you learned. It's so important to keep learning new things, and to keep on creating beauty and celebrating the good in this world.
Very inspriring, as always.
xoxoxo
Verna
Thank you to the max Verna. People reacted very positively to the drawing. It isn't a one
off, but the lure of colour gets really powerful when you work without it. You know
this! So it's back to the land. And to people in paint.
XOXOXOXOXO Barbara
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