Please Don't Laugh!

 When you look at these drawing please keep in mind that I have never ever done life drawing before. I have also not drawn at all since I was 16. Unless you count doodles in the margins of note paper (which I don't). A while ago I promised my sister that I would go to a life drawing club with her. She even gave me some materials to practise with. Which, I didn't get the chance to use. Oops!

When we first got to the bar it was filled with people with folio cases. There was me with my cath kidston bag and absolutely no experience and definitely not one of the arty types. It didn't bother my sister since she did get her degree at Glasgow School of Art. This was her set really and she was used to it. Me, I'm used to swapping poop stories with fellow nurses while we eat lunch.  To say I was anxious and felt a little out of place was putting it mildly. Not even the glass of wine was helping. However, I had promised my sister and decided to see it through.

Eventually we all went through to another room where three areas were set up. We had all of our materials there (well my sister had brought everything we would need). The organisers though had materials there such as paper, charcoal and drawing boards should we need it. We chose our seat and I was still quite anxious. Looking around me and seeing what others were doing.

The model then came forward and we were told it would be quick five minute poses. All anxiety left because I felt like it was a challenge to get the drawing in on the time allotted. My sister was highly amused by this. She said at one point she thought I was going to leave and when she next turned round I was scribbling away. I haven't posted those images as my sketching was too light to photograph well. Thanks to my sister though I got to try different materials. Including charcoal which I quite enjoyed. I think I was 14 the last time I used charcoal.

Halfway through the models changed round and it was longer poses again. This time I tried a wax pencil. I wasn't as big a fan of that because it couldn't be smudged. Thankfully though I had truly relaxed by this point. No one was interested in what others were doing. There was some friendly chatter around and people were trying out different things and at different levels.

For the last post I went back to using graphite pencils but a softer one.  I quite liked working with those. It is better for shading and easier to work round mistakes of which I have plenty. Overall I enjoyed the experience and was pleasantly surprised by that. I am under no illusion that I am an amateur but I am enjoying myself. My sister starts her creative writing classes again next month which clashes with the life drawing club. So for the next couple of weeks we'll be returning. Of course I will also want to get back to my knitting girlies as I haven't seen them in a while and we have a special event planned.

Until then I thought it best to get my own supplies. I still had some birthday money to spend. Looking forward to giving them a bash. If any of you are curious about the bar that has a life drawing club it's the Flying Duck.