"Bear Looking Downward" 9 × 12 inches, crayon and watercolor on Rives BFK paper
This was just a fun figure drawing for me. A bit idealized, with broad shoulders, a strong chest, and plenty of hair to play with. I’m still drawing on my classical training and paying attention to anatomy, but I also enjoy seeing how much I can do with a few quick lines. The figure is almost wedged into the rectangle. The downward tilt of the head and the changing angles through the shoulders and torso create a zigzag that moves your eye through the drawing.
I started with Rives BFK, a lovely cotton paper, and toned it with watercolor. That gave me a middle tone to work against. Then I used dark and light crayon to describe the shadows and highlights, borrowing from the old-master tradition of chiaroscuro drawing on toned paper. The paper and watercolor remain visible between the marks, while the crayon catches the texture of the surface. I like being able to see those different layers working together.
There’s also a lot of contemporary mark-making in this drawing. Some lines follow the contours and help explain the anatomy. Others are loose curls and quick gestures describing the beard and body hair. I wanted room for both kinds of drawing: careful observation and the pleasure of moving a crayon across the paper. The hair gave me a particularly good excuse to loosen up.
"Bear Looking Downward" 9 × 12 inches, crayon and watercolor on Rives BFK paper
This was just a fun figure drawing for me. A bit idealized, with broad shoulders, a strong chest, and plenty of hair to play with. I’m still drawing on my classical training and paying attention to anatomy, but I also enjoy seeing how much I can do with a few quick lines. The figure is almost wedged into the rectangle. The downward tilt of the head and the changing angles through the shoulders and torso create a zigzag that moves your eye through the drawing.
I started with Rives BFK, a lovely cotton paper, and toned it with watercolor. That gave me a middle tone to work against. Then I used dark and light crayon to describe the shadows and highlights, borrowing from the old-master tradition of chiaroscuro drawing on toned paper. The paper and watercolor remain visible between the marks, while the crayon catches the texture of the surface. I like being able to see those different layers working together.
There’s also a lot of contemporary mark-making in this drawing. Some lines follow the contours and help explain the anatomy. Others are loose curls and quick gestures describing the beard and body hair. I wanted room for both kinds of drawing: careful observation and the pleasure of moving a crayon across the paper. The hair gave me a particularly good excuse to loosen up.
