Figure Drawing with Emphasis on Structure and Conceptualized Form

Over a period of five days, students will create a figure drawing from life on toned paper using graphite, charcoal, and white chalk. They will be guided through the process clearly and methodically. This will include a discussion of how to analyze the pose before beginning, how to create a block-in that emphasizes gesture, accurate proportion and key structural and anatomical points, and finally how to render the form based on the light source and a sculptural understanding of the model. Class size is limited to 10 participants. 

March 25-29, 2019, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (1-hour lunch break at 12:00) $500 for entire workshop. Limit 10 students. 

Materials List: 

• Drawing Board
• Artists Tape or Masking Tape
• Knitting needle or skewer for measuring
• Black mirror/mirror
• General's Charcoal
• Pencils: Medium and Hard
• General's White Chalk
• Pencils, Staedtler or brand of choice: 1x2B, 2xB, 2xHB, 2xH, 2x2H, 1x4H
• Kneaded Eraser
• Mono ROUND Zero Pencil Eraser
• Xacto Knife (for sharpening)
• Sanding Block
• 1 Sheet of toned Aristico Fabriano Hot Press 140lb watercolor paper, cut down to 18"x 24" (Suggested tone: watered down sepia ink, applied in broad strokes with a brush at least 4 inches in width. One or two coats is sufficient.)
• Other 18x24 Paper: for backing and studies

Mackenzie Swenson (b. 1992) currently resides in New York City as an artist and instructor. She is a 2018 graduate of the Grand Central Atelier core program, having previously studied at The Atelier in Minneapolis, MN. Mackenzie is a 2015 Hudson River Fellow and 2017 Resident of the La Napoule Art Foundation in France. Mackenzie is the recipient of many awards and scholarships including the Alice M. Stolpe Foundation, the Grand Central Atelier, the Morris and Alma Shapiro Fund, and a first place scholarship from the Art Renewal Center. She has exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, including Eleventh Street Arts and Robert Simon Fine Art in New York City. Mackenzie's work hangs in collections throughout the United States and abroad.

Gain a better understanding of how to portray clothed figures. This 15-week class is broken into 3 poses, five days each. Emphasis is placed on form, gesture, and underlying structure. We’ll explore characteristics of fabric, fold types, and editing nature to serve the picture. Using the sight-size method, students will develop a minimum of 3 costumed figure studies. Depending on experience, students are welcome to work in pencil, charcoal, or oil paint.

Full day workshops consist of both Basic Drawing and Life Drawing.

Save $15! There is a discount for registering for full days rather than individual workshops.

Instructors: Judy Buckvold, Laura Tundel, & Cyd Wicker

Life drawing is at the core of any serious program of fine arts. In the class, students draw from the figure in pencil. Each drawing is created over a period of several sessions, developing the student's eye for accurate proportions, gesture and anatomy.

With a single sustained pose, students will have the option of either taking one drawing/painting to a high degree of finish or completing several drawings from different positions around the model.

With a single sustained pose, students will have the option of either taking one drawing/painting to a high degree of finish or completing several drawings from different positions around the model.

This class uses a single sustained pose allowing the more advanced student to push their picture to more sensitive value relationships and form modeling. Techniques are taught in charcoal and on to pastel or oil depending on the student's skill.

Life drawing is at the core of any serious program of fine arts. In the class, students draw from the figure in pencil. Each drawing is created over a period of several sessions, developing the student's eye for accurate proportions, gesture and anatomy.

Instructors: Laura Tundel & Cyd Wicker