Portrait Course Update (Patreon)

Dear friends,

I just wanted to pop you all a message to update you on the release of the next portrait drawing course video. The most recent video was due to be released yesterday but after being called upon to cover all of last weeks online drawing sessions (and what a joy that week was, to see so many of you at every session!) I was unable to finish the final edit before heading off on a short tour of the UK. I have just been in Cheltenham filming drawing in a new set of (as yet secret!) materials that Derwent have developed; Devon today; and West Sussex next week, where I'll be joining a host of artists at the Knepp Castle re-wilding project to respond to the remarkable work they are doing there. I'll be drawing portraits of Isabella Tree and Sir Burrell to contribute to a group exhibition (I'll be posting about it on my Instagram for anybody interested). All that is to say, the next lesson will now be released on the 20th May (next Saturday), focusing on distances in the face and followed by another lesson hot on its heels the next week.

I know that most of you are working through the lessons at your own pace, but for those following the course in real-time I have prepared some ideas to keep you busy while you wait patiently for the next lesson:

--

Make a transcription

In the first lesson we made transcriptions of an Egon Schiele portrait. To develop your mark making, make a transcription of a drawing you admire. Pick drawings or prints to draw from rather than paintings and refresh your memory of how to make a transcription and find the largest, most detailed image of the drawing you'd like to transcribe. Remember that you're not just copying the imagery but the marks themselves, learning a new visual vocabulary through your marks. Here are some idea of artists to transcribe for each lesson after the 1st:

• Horizons of the Face (Contours) - line drawings by David Hockney
• Cutouts (Negative space) - Lucien Freud's etchings & drawings
• Constellations (Points) - Dryden Goodwin's portraits (notice how his mark darts between points on the face)
• Boundaries (Tonal edges) - the charcoal portraits of John Singer Sargent

--

Refresh your memory

Go back through all of the past lessons and skip to the exercise section of each one. Put all of the exercise into practice one after another to remind yourself of the ideas we've explored over the last few months. You'll find all the lessons linked here.

--

Get feedback

Lance is on hand to support the course with advice on the Draw Slack so if you've yet to ask for his input, let him know you're working through the course and post a drawing up with a specific question of something you've struggled with in the drawing. He'll be able to give you tailored feedback on how to improve.

--

Term 2 of the course will focus on approaches to different features of the face and will begin in autumn, I've learnt a lot of - not least that the videos require a full 4 days to make rather than the 2 originally set aside. I'll be able to put aside the time to ensure the 2nd term runs to time but I'd also love to have your input on what else we could do to improve your experience of the course so if you have any ideas please do post them in the comments below and I'll work them into my planning.

Warmest wishes to you all,

Jake