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3 0f 6 Visual Diary Drawings via Home Studio:  Our ‘Produce Drawings’ teacher has impressed upon us the importance of trying to put aside time each day to draw, in order to build on existing and/or develop new drawing skills.  I try to draw each day as time allows.  Title ‘Red Flower’ drawn in pencil in my A4 Visual Diary – Drawing & Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016.  NB All images are protected by copyright laws

INTRODUCTION

My 9th class in ‘Produce Paintings’ and ‘Produce Drawings’ (these being subjects that are part of ‘Certificate III in Visual Arts’) progressed as per usual.  But during this week’s classes I personally found it hard to get started.  The process of being able to switch off the outside-world and focus on the task at hand was a struggle, but with the support and encouragement of the teachers, I managed to produce some art work where I felt a degree of satisfaction.

7 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts:- Students busy working on ‘Produce Paintings’ art work during class.  Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016. NB All images are protected by copyright laws

NB:  To view my blogs about previous classes, please click on the links given here – Classes 1, Classes 2, Classes 3, Classes 4, Classes 5, Classes 6, Classes 7, Classes 8 and for this week’s classes 9 for ‘Produce Paintings’ and ‘Produce Drawings’ – please scroll down to view.

PRODUCE PAINTING CLASS

Our ‘Produce Painting’ class commenced with our teacher, CHRIS PITTARD, checking in with each of the students individually.  During this session I decided to paint a small pinkish coloured glass jar that I had found within the class room itself.

1 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts:- Set and ready to start this week’s ‘Produce Painting’ painting.  Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016. NB All images are protected by copyright laws

MY ‘PRODUCE PAINTING’ CLASS PROJECT

The jar definitely presented me with a challenge I wasn’t ready for – I just couldn’t get the jar’s proportions right, and the colour tones are not right either!  Chris spoke with me about my painting and about how I could improve it.  But today – I just couldn’t make it work.  My art brain just seemed to be missing on this day and I struggled in being able to rectify what needed addressing.  I decided to still preserver despite this fact and finish the painting anyway, even through I was unhappy with my work.

• Painting Palette:  Oil paints prepared in readiness to commence painting
  

3 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

• Outline of ‘Pinkish Coloured Glass Jar’:  Used a little medium and light oil paint colour
  

2 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by c – Copy

4 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

• Completed Oil Painting:  Pinkish coloured glass jar painting on A3 Canvas Paper
  

6 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

5 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

• Painting Palette:  Oil paint colour palette story after the completion of the painting
  

8 of 8 Class 9 ‘Produce Paintings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph taken by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

‘PRODUCE DRAWINGS’ CLASS

Our ‘Produce Drawings’ class commenced after our lunch break.  This gave me a chance to recharge after the ‘Produce Paintings’ class.  The teacher, TOBY DUTTON introduced us to the process of ‘life drawing’.  For this session Toby asked a number of students to take turns in modelling for us, so that we could gain a sense of what to expect at our next ‘Produce Drawings’ session where a professional model would be posing for us. Each drawing was done in quick succession using charcoal on a large sheet of paper attached to an easel.  We were instructed that during a ‘life drawing’ session: mobile phones should be switched off; easel should be at an angle; position ourselves standing in the middle facing the drawing paper; set easel at right height for self; make sure can touch the top of the easel; and look over left side if right-handed when drawing.

1-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

2-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

4-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Toby Dutton teacher in ‘Produce Drawings’ Class demonstrating ‘Life Drawing’ process.  Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016.  NB images protected by copyright laws

JOY THOMAS YOUTUBE – WORKING WITH CHARCOAL

Here below within Joy Thomas’s YouTube she demonstrates how to create charcoal portraits, quickly and accurately using methods of capturing light and shadows (Joy Thomas Aug 7, 2008).  These methods demonstrated by Joy are basically the same methods that we had used during our drawing classes using charcoal.

MY ‘PRODUCE DRAWING’ CLASS PROJECT

The process of producing charcoal ‘life drawings’ in quick succession was quite tiring.  It took me a number of drawings to understand what I was doing and it wasn’t until I got to the second last charcoal drawing that I felt I was gaining some sort of insight into this artistic process.  My second last charcoal ‘life drawing’ was my best attempt!

• Here below are four ‘life drawings’ I did during the session and as viewed on the easel:
  

5-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

6-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

7-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

8-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

• Here below are 10 ‘life drawings’ in charcoal I did in very quick succession; they are presented below starting with the first ‘life drawing’ moving through to the last that I drew during this class.
  

9-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

10-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

11-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

12-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

13-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

14-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

15-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

16-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

17-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

18-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

• Here below is the second last ‘life drawing’ I did during the session and is my favourite.

19-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

20-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

21-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

22-22 Class 9 ‘Produce Drawings’ CAE Class – Certificate 111 in Visual Arts – Photograph by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB images protected by copyright laws

‘PRODUCE DRAWINGS’ VISUAL DIARY

In between classes I managed to do two pencil drawings in my visual diary and an Ink drawing on A3 Arches Watercolour Paper.   A ‘red flower’ and ‘palm tree yellow seeds’ from my garden (in pencil) and an object ‘golden wooden mask’ from my lounge room (in ink) were used as sources of inspiration.

2-6 Visual Diary Drawings at home studio – Title ‘Palm Tree Seeds’ in pencil A4 Visual Diary. Drawings & Photographed by Karen Robinson Oct 2016.  NB All images are protected by copyright laws

4-6 Visual Diary Drawings at home studio – Title ‘Red Flower’ in pencil A4 Visual Dairy.  Drawings & Photographed by Karen Robinson Oct 2016. NB All images are protected by copyright laws

5-6 Visual Diary Drawings at home studio – Drawings & Photographed by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

6-6 Visual Diary Drawings at home studio – Drawings & Photographed by Karen Robinson Oct 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

CONCLUSION

Am always feeling very fortunate in being able to participate in these painting and drawing classes.  My early morning train journey into the heart of the city of Melbourne via Flinders Street Station; and being able to soak up the ambiance of Degraves Street itself during my class break – very much adds to the overall pleasure of the day’s creative outcomes.  Art for therapy at its best for sure….

1 of 1 ‘Espresso’ Coffee Shop on Degraves Street, Melbourne, Australia. Photograph taken by Karen Robinson October 2016 NB All images are protected by copyright laws

CAE is located in one of Melbourne’s iconic cafe/outdoor dining locations – DEGRAVES STREET as photographed above.   Degraves Street’s bluestone-cobbled lane way, its postcard Parisian atmosphere of outdoor dining under umbrellas, and its quaint retail shops, certainly makes attending CAE’s art course each week just that much more of an enjoyable experience!

© Karen Robinson – October 2016

While you are here – please check out my home page!

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH:  Using Art & Creative Writing as Therapy – My Journey by Karen Robinson.