Figure Studies at Mike Magrath's

-Compressed charcoal on paper-

Sculptor and Gage Academy teacher, Mike Magrath, https://magrathsculpture.com/ has hosted a Monday night figure drawing session for years at his lovely studio on Vashon Island. This has built a warm community of island artists of all levels that truly have a great time hanging out for three hours, gabbing, drawing, and admiring one another’s work. Pam Ingals will break out her oil paints. Ted Kutscher will do a study for a larger painting. Paula Hendricks goes big and expressive. Even Bruce Morser makes an appearance on occasion. Mike has figure sculptures and figure drawings all over the studio. A cat may walk in and join the model on the stand. The models are all pros. It’s one of the most wholesome activities I know. The above drawings are of Francis, from last night’s session. I am not trying to keep the model anonymous…..the gallery formating did the head lopping!

I had been drawing the figure mostly with Graphite pencil (Palomino Blackwing) but tonight I used compressed charcoal, which loosened me up a little, and allowed me to work in darks quicker.