Figures drawing sessions...

I didn't show many figure drawings from this year but here are a few from one of the last sessions. 

Progress was slow, if any progress all. Most of the times my mind was too busy, concentration bad and without knowing how to draw... as my way of drawing is "out of fashion" in some persons points of view. Nevertheless I'm convinced that for me there is no other way to draw than this. I mean my starting point next year will be this one, and I'll have to develop from this point while staying truthful to myself. 

What point would there be in trying to draw like someone else? I prefer to listen to myself and do the best I can and only hoping it will get better than this. My biggest issue will be to find the right and inspiring place to draw, with or with teacher. 

(Sorry for the bad quality of the pictures, by the way these are all drawn on paper size 42cm x 60cm, and poses are 10 minutes.)

Still life XIII...

Will my "grains'" grow... ?

This is how you keep both feet on earth looking straight forward with hope, taking these modest swatches as my "grains", for coming working methods in the future. With no pretentiousness, only hope and determination...
I'm just freshly back from workshop, with a well known watercolor painter, (who paints and teaches her "wet on wet" technic), and who's name I prefer not to divulge here in respect to her.
I learned and understood a huge lot, of this extremely difficult and delicate watercolor technique. I think I got what I came for, the answers to my questions and much more about how to prepare a painting and new working methods. Of course she treated and explained things such as preparing the paper and making the washes with the right quantity of pigments/water. How to paint a subject without drawing on beforehand, during a precise period of time making precise gestures at exact timing.
Sadly the weather was rainy (as usual this year in France) wich made it hard to work and impossible to work outdoors. Time flew. I thought I would paint more myself during the stay, but I now know that couldn't be possible as the afternoons were too short and the mornings where planned for demonstrations and explanations. Very instructive moments.
It feels right now as watercolor represent less mysteries to me. But a lot of practice will be needed if I want to get close to a nice result, if I ever get so far.
The whole week I laughed a lot and made new friends, who I hope I'll have the chance to see again.
As a conclusion I can only say; although my "grains" are very tiny I'm filled with hope and joy...

Still life XII...

Another study... 

When I think about it these studies,.. their meaning, or reasons to be painted, while they might not be revolutionary in any way... it's above all the act of painting whatever strikes me, and the feelings that it procures me that matters. To that we could ad the interest of painting what is ephemeral, and as most things are, including whatever state of emotions we are in, I just keep to what's around me at that moment. I try to make a portrait of the subject, it doesn't matter what it is. 

I hope to be able to develop intenser feelings with time and practice. And hopefully those will show in my paintings. The intenser they are, the more exiting life gets. I would like to awaken my senses to extract the most out of my everyday life, every moment, every act... or will it bring too much suffering then...? I don't think so, or if so, it should be worth it. 

Right now, I have a notion that I'm on the right way. I don't mean it shows in my work, but my sensibility is like growing inside me, and my feelings are overflowing lately.

Or, is this just some kind of state of well being that my mind produces? With the will to get "high", as often as possible... 

Still life XI; "Herbs in a jar"...

I guess I can publish this one now; here comes Bosse...

Here we have a watercolor sketch I made lately of my still friend and before that also teacher Bosse (and today musician!) during most of school years when I was "little". That period of our lives was spent in the south of Spain in the seventies and the eighties (at least for me) The watercolor is made out of a fotograf, as Bosse is living in Sweden now. The painting doesn't live up to that picture, which was really nice, but I hope it will do and that Bosse is as pleased as he sounded.

Thank's to facebook (a bit cliché by now... but still; THANK'S to facebook!) I found Bosse and many  of my childhood friends some time ago. It feels precious for me to know where they are, and to be able to write or get news any time, and even visit some. Most of us didn't manage to keep in contact back then, and we all (almost everyone) moved and spread out in different's parts of the world after high school or before that. It makes me feel that the ones who shared those years with me, are like a big family with a "different kind of life" in common, and it's great to have them back since a few years.
As I said it's precious for me! (I'm a little nostalgic tonight!)

Another vegetable study...

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Today's study with my students...

Still life study...

Today's study and subject with my students...