Often when I am preparing to introduce a subject to my classes, I draw a few sketches, to be sure I can guide everyone according to their level and this Halloween project is no exception.
It is a perfect exercise to become more familiar with portraiture, because what better way to learn the human face than to study its underlying anatomical structure.Bones are rather hard, they complement the softness of the muscle tissue over them by making the body profoundly shapely.
The class was a veritable success. I consider myself very lucky that my group is patient and eager to learn. It was one of those classes where I keep going around and around, providing constant guidance. Even with a reference, beginners may struggle with proportions and with a hands-on approach, I go so far as to erase areas of the student's drawing and fix what feels wrong. I hear other instructors frown on this approach and I can see why but it works for me. Of course, I always ask for permission first.
I whipped up a tutorial the day before, and although we did not sit through it, I found skipping to relevant parts quite useful!
It was comical to hear myself constantly sighing while editing. Is drawing really that arduous? To be fair, I was kind of exhausted, happy to create and share my knowledge nonetheless.
I can't lie, trying to get a good view of myself drawing is a process involving contortions and to be frank, looking at my work from the side skews my perception. Perhaps a way to improve these tutorials would be to step back more often, even if that means more cuts in the video.
Each skull has a unique personality and should not be perfectly symmetrical because after all, Nature is an unpredictable beast!
My mom found out that I hadn't counted the teeth here, there are too many... What was I thinking? Tehee!
Here are two more preparatory studies in graphite. I wish I photographed the participant's art from class but things do go in a flash, especially given how engaged the group is. I never got around to it.
I much enjoyed using the eraser as a blending tool and the dark background is mindless work. A meditation so to speak. It was a great way to get ready for the day of the dead which is... full of dread.
It is an absolute joy to draw. It is to wonder why I am writing right now, maybe I should draw...
Or not!
I encourage you to take the time for you to enjoy your favourite art form and if you love traditional media, all the better. There is something tactile about it. Lose yourself in the process, which you can do at my class at the Roundhouse CC, Mondays at 13:00.
For the one above, I emphasized a cross-hatching technique.
This is the subsequent exercise to deepen anatomical knowledge, getting into the flesh over the skull. It is fascinating to think of the mechanics responsible for every single micro-expression.
If you're still here, that means you're the best, let's be friends.
This is our shape note sing minutes, inspired by a fellow signer by the name of Meredith. It was made on the day I sold my first NFT to 
It felt like chance, I picked that drawing in my sketchbook; to weave the minutes in and around. But really, when it comes to mandalas, no such thing as a coincidence.
I was happy to share a vegan pot pie with the group and Caroline thought the protean might be seitan. It turns out she was right, rad guess. I got the pie at the farmer's market and it did not disappoint.
There is Meredith from when I was in Montreal in September. She is a really good friend and her minutes are just so inspiring. You can barely see it but she has rainbow nails which make her a perfect fellow art teacher. We both sing tenor, which comes closest to the melody in Sacred Harp. There is a song called Rainbow, it's very fun.
Anyhow, I love her to bits, I feel like she understands me on a deep level, warts and all. It makes me want to support her as best I can with my signing and in many other ways.
Shape Note lyrics can be doom and gloomy so it's perfect for Halloween. They talk about death so much that I may have learned to accept it a little bit more although, I WANNA LIVE!
Please don't kill me spirits and ghosts of the hallow.
Cheers everyone, take care!
