Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Brave, Fearless or Dangerous?

Still a little high from the Design Workshop, I did something I've been wanting to do for eight years; I've signed up for Ronette Pickering's figure drawing course. She was a weaver, weaving teacher (?), and the head of the local Polytechnic's Visual Art school, but now she's retired and is a legendary figure drawing teacher, and also a consultant to the Refinery Art Space gallery.

So with the material list in hand, I went to Betts Stationary on Hardy Street, and asked Tony to help me gather the stuff. I am now have, in a little cardboard box:

2 x 4B and 2 x 6B pencils
1 graphite stick (the thin one with the black lacquer coating)
4 x thick vine (willow) charcoal
4 – 6 medium pit charcoal
2 x white, black and sepia conté
2 x black and 2 x white pastel
Eraser (pink or green ones from Betts cheapest and also best)
2 x large bulldog clips (the ones with the wire handles)

This graphite stick is nicer than the naked one I already had. I asked Tony what contés are, but I can't remember his answer, except French ones are creamier and German ones more powdery. I do remember the difference between the vine and pit charcoals; the former is more fibrous, the latter is soot bound with an agent, so is creamier. But you knew this already. yeah?

And though not on the list, I also put in the box one of Ben's old shirts and a small notebook.

The class starts at the start of May and runs for 10 weeks. I can't wait.

6 comments:

  1. gathering of supplies- the best, most exciting part of any course! enjoy!

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  2. Absolutely, Taueret. Not yet ruined by moi. Life is full of new notebooks, as it were... (Yet another one of my fetishes.)

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  3. YEAH!!!! Meg!!!!!

    I think fresh perspectives and new skills will helps us focus, and improve, our weaving (or what ever is our main talent).

    Funny but divergance helps convergance.

    Enjoy!!!

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  4. "Divergence helps convergence" - what a word-weaver, Lynne. It's nice to know it's 10 weeks - if it goes badly, I'm on a clock - and that some people keep repeating the course - in case it goes really well. I've always admired the portrayal of muscular men and soft women by the old masters. Though there is a good chance I'll get soft men and muscular blokes, I am looking forward to learning about them. I'm ready, eh?

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  5. Sound like just my sort of course. I've done quite a bit of drawing with vine charcoal and it is beautiful, if somewhat messy, to use.

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  6. It IS exactly your kind of course, because you draw and paint. Where as moi; if Beloved got lost in a brown paper bag and I had to draw a map to get him out, he has a better chance getting out following a lab mouse than waiting for my map...

    Nevertheless, a few people who know me said I will enjoy it, so I'm just letting their words soak in.

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