Life Drawing
What life drawing taught me about observation, letting go, and stepping outside my comfort zone.
One of the most fascinating courses I ever took was life drawing. I was instructed by a fantastic artist in the Belleville region, Bill Tomlinson. Michael Rutland was also instrumental in my enjoyment of life drawing. Rest in peace, my friend.
Bill led a class of approximately six students through gesture drawing, blind contour drawing, and compositional sketches. Gesture drawing lays in the action, form, and pose of a figure. Blind contour drawing means drawing the outline of a subject without looking at the paper. We worked quickly, with one-, two-, and three-minute poses in rapid progression.
The models were professional and well trained, providing interesting compositions for students seated around the room.
Why did I decide to step out of my comfort zone when I felt so comfortable with oil painting? There is something liberating and peaceful about life drawing. Like meditation, you are in the moment, lost in time. The time limit tells you when you’re done, and it’s no biggie if you didn’t get “finished.” It’s all about the process, and there is another pose coming.
Your drawings are what they are. You can let go of the need for a finished piece. Onwards and upwards! My passion for art has no limits, and learning more disciplines is refreshing.
“It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create.” — J. M. W. Turner
Christopher Finkle
Learning to look closely also changed my approach to still life and portrait painting.
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