Looking through the many portfolios leaning against various walls in the studio, I realised how many sketches I’ve done over the years. Many in charcoal though there’s a few pencils. Here’s a selection.
Some are done from my time in Italy, but most are later.
The majority of these models are young, from seventeen – twentyfive, I’ve always enjoyed working with people around that age, as you can see in their face so much intense emotion: they’ve not learned to hide themselves or play roles yet…. everything is right there, waiting for you to try and translate to the picture plane.
Laura
Some are more than two sitting, but a lot are done very quickly! One or two are friends who’ve helped me out when I needed a model, the above picture is a dear friend who’s been very generous with her time.
Mark
A commissioned picture: Mark’s a lecturer and interior architect.
This model got in contact over social media…after she sat for me, I never heard from her again. Such a lot of sensitivity in her face, was fun trying to capture the small inflections and idiosyncrasies.
Sean
My dear uncle, I recall very much enjoying listening to someone talk about their love of music…….I’ve tried to capture on the page a friendship between him and his cello.
Lauran
Very old drawing of an old friend. She would pose after work or before. I wanted to see the line of her neck more and so I asked her to lean against one of the studio chairs. I always found that she had a subtle sadness in her face; this drawing was done when she was twenty.
Kendric
A friend and fellow painter, done when I was living and studying in Italy.
Rothio
Very quick sketch of a Spanish girl who was living near my studio for a time.
There’s a college up the road from my studio, I often meet the students in the local bars etc. A lot are very kind in giving me some of their time, I usually suggest that I’ll do a live-size sketch and after I’ll do a small sketch in pencil for them to keep as a kind of payment. Over the course of the sittings you usually find a friendship coming naturally.
Julia
A girl I got to know a few years back: she was studying acting at the college I mentioned above.
Aiden
Another acting student: the youngest model of the post, drawn at a time when he was broaching adulthood.
Nesto
This models I hired in Italy, a model that were commonly used in the atelier.
Nesto was something of a celebrity at the studio I studied at. I recall that he would fall asleep while posing, as he was working two jobs at the time, I didn’t have the heart to wake him: it didn’t matter too much as a face with such character draws itself!
