Old Habits Continue

 I decided to try another meeting of the figure group.  I knew the organizer would not be there today, but he had someone lined up to run it, and a model was scheduled.  I was free today, so I went.  Again, the parking lot was mostly empty, so no problem finding a space.  The rain falling earlier had stopped, but as predicted, it was warm and humid, and that may have been worse.  Didn't notice it when I entered the building or went down to my space to pick up some things I would need, but I sure noticed it when I got to the second floor room reserved for the group.  However, a model was arranged, so I decided to stick it out.   Our new leader set up the music, a mix of 50's to 80's songs, a few of which I knew.  I recognized one song, for which I have a version on the live album by X, so at least that one was something I'd listen to in my own Studio. 

The model didn't feel well, so the organizer and the crowd decided to let her do all her poses in recline.    Not my favorite kind of pose, plus I couldn't see her head much of the time (either because her back was to me, or it was hidden behind the arm of the couch), but it is my custom in these kind of workshops to draw the poses I am given from where I am set up, part of the challenge as I see it.  But the weather was a bigger challenge- despite the overhead fans, I was mostly uncomfortable, to the point were my short pencil drawings were getting too wet from sweat.  Less a problem for the later charcoal drawings, but I never really found a rhythm.  My best drawing of the day is below:

Like many area models, this one had a lot of tattoos, which I didn't bother to draw- using compressed charcoal, it would have made for too many black spots all over the figure, and I'm more concerned with shape and proportion of the figure anyway, so I tend to ignore them.  In this case, completely covering the exposed arm, a big one on her back, and more you wouldn't see in this pose.  I'm used to doing this with models (had a good one in Belmar who had even more tattoos, too bold to be cut into wood or drawn with charcoal, so either I didn't include them at all, or made up much lighter ones), so I had a plan to follow. 

I had issues with proportions with all my drawings today, so I think I need to stick with this for a few more weeks at least, get my figure drawing to a better place.  I also did some thinking about the next Robert Johnson print.  Not ready make the block just yet, but I do have an idea of what song lyric I want to do, and an image to portray it.  Meanwhile I have another one to work on.

As I left through the 1st floor, I could see works leaning up against two more walls.  Mine were still where they had been hung.  None of these new works impressed me much, but at least they are big and colorful.  The walls will look better.