Hi everybody. My name is An. I’m happy to be your host for this week, May 17-23, 2009.

First, here are the general recommandation for this thread :

All levels of drawing are encouraged to participate!
The goal of this thread is to enable and encourage individuals to practice their drawing skills, learn new techniques and have fun! If you just want to sketch, that’s fine. If you want to create a complex, detailed drawing, that’s great too. The references used are from my own personal library of images that I have photographed and I release them here as not under copyright, meaning you can use them as you wish for drawing.

Please notice that this is a DRAWING challenge. We suggest that you confine to some form of drawing: graphite, pen, ink, charcoal. coloured pencil, watercolor, pastel…
If you would like assistance or advice, please ask for it, many participants and me will be more than willing to try to help you.

This challenge will last for one week. However, later on, you can of course return to this place and continue to draw what you want.

For this week, I have offered 6 reference images, each in colour and in greyscale.

The first photo is a small composition I took last week in Granville, Normandy, France. You may prefer drawing only the boat, or the whole scene.
The second photo is a simple cat. I like very much the geometric lines of the cat body that go along with the geometric grid behind. I am happy that some lighting has been obtained, this avoids a too homogeneous fur.
The third photo, a pair of elegant shoes, is somewhat more complicated. Drawing shoes is very attractice. In this case, delicate lines and strong lighting are sufficient to afford beautiful results.
The young gracious lady in the 4th photo has been “discovered” by the photographs in a festival in Paris. She was protected by a big umbrella and it was not easy to take a good photo. She was enchanted but somewhat embarassed because of the many dozen of photographs, amateurs and professionals, around her. We took photos after photos.
The statue in figure 5 was that of the french celebrated parfume creator and fashion designer Christian Dior. I took the photo in the public garden of the Dior family in Granville. Drawing this statue is a big challenge!
Finally, the 6th photo is a very classical still life composition, designated for watercolour, pastels or oils. The photo was taken in a course I followed at the school of the french society of pastellistes.

I hope the photos will inspire you. Best wishes and have fun.

Paris, May 16, 2009

An

Hi An,
Wonderful variety of photos for the challenge this week, I may just have to work on one or two of these. thanks for hosting and for the great selection.
Trish

Thank you, Trish. Paulette asked me to post the photos on Saturday. But the challenge starts only on Sunday.
Will be happy to have your contribution.

Hi, An. Merci pour les photos.
here is my Asian girl.She is not that charming as the the original but I guess mine looks Asian too.
8B on sketchbook pad 9x12in. 30 minutes.

and a 20 minutes Dior.

Absolutely, I think you fully get the Asian charm of the girl. Your drawing is beautiful, and I think the photo is not rich enough in lighting to go further. Thanks, Elena!

Yes, the photo is rich and you have well expressed the volume of the statue. Very good drawing, Elena!

I see that watercolor has been incorporated here this week so I shall give that lovely still life of veggies a whirl.nice pics An

Hahaha, how can I forget watercolor, dear Kay ? I admired since yesterday your awesome leaves in the Watercolor challenge!!

Here is my contribution: the boat scene. Simple but quite beautiful, no ?

it is indeed a very nice sketch..I have tried the still life in the watercolors, I have totally lost the original shape of the green bottle, but i kept going anyway..thanks for the pics An.

Click to view attachment

Hello An!! Congratulations for such amazing challenge!
I loved your reference photos! Specially the veggies and the Chinese girl! They are stunning pictures!
I have been very busy lately but I would love to contribute to this challenge also. I will try to draw some after I submit my weekly project to Cindy Wider for my online course.

By the way, nice drawings everyone!

Hugs to you!
Sonia.

This watercolor is superb. You master the color amazingly. There is no point to copy. The photo was only the pretexte for your own composition. This artwork is absolutely to be framed and hung in your house (by the way, are there still some place?)

Your online course, ? How wonderful it is. I am jealous, Sonia! ( ) Absolutely, Hugs to you !

Indeed, An, it is wonderful! I am learning a bunch of drawing and shading techniques that I did not even know existed!
See you soon...

Sonia.

Hello An, hello everyone.
This is my attempt of drawing the beautiful Asian woman, I'll try harder next time!

Hello, Angelina,
Awesome portrait! Everything is well done: the form of the head, eyes, nose, lips, hairs, ... We recognize her immediately. Bravo!
(The model is really beautiful, yes ?)
Thanks,
An

Hi, An.
Figured while I was sitting here watching TV and waiting for my husband to get home for supper I would draw your shoes.
Great photos, by the way!
Barb
Click to view attachment

those are fantastic barb

Superb artwork, Bar! Would you give me the permission to post it later on in my Shoes collection ?

I am ashamed to post this one I draw by pen. I learned to draw directly, so I could not erase and correct the mistakes. It is of course far below your wonderful work.
The thing is that I also drew when looking at the TV, waiting for my wife coming home. I have already cooked the dinner. My only excuse is that the tv movie was a thriller !!!

Don't be ashamed! It is very good!
Maybe I have to start drawing by pen. The time I spend erasing... All individual changes together I draw every complete drawing at least 3 times

Thank, twentse_student. Pen is a very good technique to learn proportion and shadows. Error is the master of success. Cheers,

Here is my interpretation of the Dior statue.


Christian Dior
Born in 1905 and died at age 52.

From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Dior :
….
The actual name of the line of his first collection, presented in early 1947, was Corolle (roughly petal in French), but the phrase New Look was coined for it by Carmel Snow, the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar. Dior's designs were more voluptuous than the boxy, fabric-conserving shapes of the recent World War II styles, influenced by the rations on fabric.[1] He was a master at creating shapes and silhouettes; Dior is quoted as saying "I have designed flower women." His look employed fabrics lined predominantly with percale, boned, bustier-style bodices, hip padding, wasp-waisted corsets and petticoats that made his dresses flare out from the waist, giving his models a very curvaceous form. The hem of the skirt was very flattering on the calves and ankles, creating a beautiful silhouette. Initially, women protested because his designs covered up their legs, which they had been unused to because of the previous limitations on fabric. There was also some backlash to Dior's designs form due to the amount of fabrics used in a single dress or suit--during one photo shoot in a Paris market, the models were attacked by female vendors over the profligacy of their dresses--but opposition ceased as the wartime shortages ended. The New Look revolutionized women's dress and reestablished Paris as the center of the fashion world after World War II.
…
Dior died while on holiday in Montecatini, Italy. Some reports say that he died of a heart attack after choking on a fish bone.[2] Time magazine's obituary stated that he died of a heart attack after playing a game of cards.[3] However, the Paris socialite and Dior acquaintance Alexis von Rosenberg, Baron de Rédé stated in his memoirs that contemporary rumor had it that the fashion designer succumbed to a heart attack after a strenuous sexual encounter. Some even think that he died because of a seizure.
[i]

very good drawing, An. I like your statue.

Tried the still life

16" x 12" 140lb rough.

absolutely spendid..what a masterpiece, An that photo makes for a great painting

You are right, Kay,
Awesome aquarella, Songsparrow! I feel that you took pleasure to paint it.
It is time for me to post my pastel version. It is not very brillant. Watercolour is much more brillant than pastel, in general.
However, here it the pastel.
Thank to all of you,
An

That's a fantastic watercolour! Bravo!

Thank you, Elena. I love also your drawings. Waiting for your other posts. May be the Still Life in pastel ? I know you like pastel. Am drawing the Asian young girl. Not easy, Elena!

I love all you girls and I want to marry all of you. I just need to clear it with my wife first!

In my land, such a thing is illegal, but we are discreet people! So, .....

Here is what I can do for today.
So here she is!

I think this is lovely! You have so much more information in this picture than my watercolour! And I love the way you've captured the glass of the bottle and the highlights! Excellent work!

I haven't contributed much these days to the Challenges but I have been watching the ones who have .. Absolutely love them all The Pastels are awesome .. wish I knew how to use them .. I fear .. one more medium to learn would throw me into Poverty .. Maybe one day I'll hit the Lottery and expand my Studio..
Oh and Steve could I be part of your Harem ? Have to warn you if your wife accepts I'd be High Maintenance .. I need More Stuff..

Thank, TexasLady-59 for the comment. I do hope you have time to participate to this thread. We all admire your works.
On the other hand, I'm sure Steve has read this comment and hope he has the necessary permission. I know that the women are generous to us !

Here is a quick ink of the black cat!

Hello guys! Wow, amazing drawings/paintings since I have last checked!

An, it´s already 1 a.m. but I fell in love with your Chinese girl picture and I just had to participate in this wonderful challenge!

I also have to thank you from the bottom of my heart because, thanks to you and your stunning picture, I could draw, for the first time, a portrait that I am not ashamed to show...

Hope you also like it!

Hugs to all!
Sonia.

Sonia !!!! Absolutely Beautiful !!!!

I agree 100%. Absolutely wonderful rendition! Well done Sonia. You derserve to be extremely proud of this effort! Excellent!

Sonia, I am so happy! You can't imagine. I do know you are busy this week and I greatly thank you for having saved time to realise this absolutely wonderful artwork!
Cheers,
An

My try at a quick one,

I very much admire all the drawings, and selection of references,

thanks for the challenge An,



Brian.

Dear Carol, Steve and An, thank you so much for the most wonderful and kind comments to my drawing!!
You can´t image how I truly appreciated all of them!

Brian, You just don´t stop surprising me! Snoopy has a boat!!! And he´s heading to Snoopy 101 challenge... Well, I must go now quickly before he arrives!

Big hug to all of you!

Sonia.

Sonia ,, you inspired me to give that Lady a try.. She was too beautiful not to . Thanks

My gosh, Carol! This is a master piece!!! Outstanding! I love her!!
I am your fan...

Hug,
Sonia.

You're too sweet.. Sometimes we get inspiration from those who never think they are.. Your portrait was excellent..

Brian, very nice drawing! You know, simples drawings may be very beautiful! That is your case.
Now, Sonia, let me tell you the story: Snoopy comes to assist to the commemomorial Ceremory of the June 06th Debarquement. However, all the places hundreds kilometers around the plages have been reserved. So, he has to put his boat at the plage of Granville and continue by foot.
(fig from the site:
here
)

Absolutely marvellous! TexasLady: I waited for you since Sunday! Now I have many examples and I'll try to do something serious before Sunday! Thank you all, my ladies ! You are all so lovely!

Oh, my... You guys are the funniest and most entertaining I know!!

You should have nudged me earlier..If it weren't for Sonia I may have slipped thru this one.. A lot of really really wonderful draws here.. You gave us some great photo's .. Thanks Big Bunches !!