In the summer of 1972, when I was still in college, I went to a concentrated summer art program at Boston University. This was held not in Boston, but in the idyllic arts center of Tanglewood, Massachusetts, where the Boston Symphony plays its summer concerts. Every day we art students would go to a rickety wooden structure called the Art Barn and draw life drawings from models. We also had lessons in painting, art composition, and color use. I did a lot of landscape watercolors as well. This is the most formal training I have had. Boston University's art school is one of the best in the region, but it is known for its conservative approach. Life drawing was of prime importance. At the summer session we had two models for the whole two months, one male and one female. Note the "B.U." initials that I added in to this drawing, standing for Boston University.
As you can see, I wasn't that bad at drawing human figures back then, as long as I kept on drawing and didn't get out of practice. I hope to continue drawing figures, now from DVD instruction and photomodels. I'd love to find a live one to draw, but it's difficult for me to find the time what with the day job and other work. Back in 1972 I didn't quite appreciate how lucky I was to go to art school; I was emotionally messed up those months due to non-art reasons. I'd love to go back and visit Tanglewood, but the art barn is long gone.
1 comment:
wow! You drew a nude guy, from life??!! LOL
I would LOVE to have live models, but can't aford them :( I had a small amout of live model studies but in my classes they were clothed. I have done a few neudes from life over the yeras...but very few.
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