L’École des Beaux-Arts (Sept, Oct, Nov 2015)

Inaugral drawing class

Dear All,
My first day was soooper! Just as one imagines a drawing course at L’École des Beaux-Arts to be – old amphitheatre adorned with statues, in the centre of which is the nude model doing various poses for the students to draw.
The professor then walks around the room and gives individual instruction, whilst you are drawing – stands behind you and just watches, giving the odd comment (he told me to use a darker pencil – 4B – SO much bolder than my usual HB modest lines!); or even takes the pencil to exemplify a point. He also demonstrated a few points on the blackboard, for the whole class.
I am SO pleased I had my drawing classes in St Barts, as the format is v similar.

L’amour prisonnier

We’ve been told to look for shapes and reference points, thinking in relative sizes, dividing the body into heads, for example; and I no longer systematically start with the head … and I have become SO much quicker at drawing, and less pedantic … the first hour is 30 x 2min poses – so no time to mess around!
The next 2hrs are each 4 x 15min poses, so more time to ‘perfect’ the drawing, using shading and more detail.
I am off swimming this morning, and then doing my art ‘homework’, which is to draw nude statues (the prof said to go to the Louvre, but that is SO far away and €€, so I researched ‘statues, jardins, parcs, Paris’ and found that Venus Genitrix and L’amour prisonnier are just 7mins walk away in Jardin des Plantes (and both nude, which is what I am looking for). I look forward to speaking to you all later. Love Rachelx

Palais des Etudes

Let the painting begin …

Dear All,
I thought you would like to hear about my first painting class yesterday, and see a few of my attempts (before they hit the bin!).

The first class was quite a challenge – we were assigned the task of painting a nude model in sessions of 15mins, different poses each time, and then later just 3mins per pose!
All the other class members are accomplished artists in their smocks at their easels, just getting on with it.

I just simply did not know what to do with the watercolour in such a short space of time and got SO stuck in the pencil drawing that I hardly had time to paint!
One is left very much on one’s own and the professor strolls around looking over the shoulder of each artist. They want you to express yourself and then give you guidance along the way, if needed/wanted – which I V much did!

I felt like bursting into tears in the first 30mins/hour, and almost did, but it was no bad thing as it pushed me to ‘cry out’ for help. The prof was/is V reassuring and gave me good guidance … He said I should just play and have fun, and that I should not be afraid of anything … especially not him (although I HATE it when he stands behind me).
I’m sending you a couple of my first attempts, which are not finished, and which I am NOT proud of, but I am exposing them as it is all part of my learning to ‘let go’ and not feel that I am being constantly judged, which stops me from relaxing and expressing myself fully.

I am going to work on these further and take more photos of further experimentation … I should indeed learn to have fun – not easy!

I will enjoy telling you more later, but now must do a quick translation for one of my St Barts clients, before going for a swim at Piscine Jean Taris. Love Rachelx

Learning how to let go …

Dear All,

It was a V hard class yesterday and here are a few of the quick sketches and watercolours.

The one reclining is unfinished, in fact all of them could have done with more time, hence them being quick impressions. The professor showed me some brush techniques on the reclining nude – the plum coloured feet and shadows.

He also told me to hold my pencil at the top (I’ve noticed that all three of my art teachers do this) – it makes for a lot looser, more fluid style, which I definitely need.
I have been doing non-stop art ever since, apart from swimming this morning.
I am determined to practise, practise, practise in order to make the most of my time here, and to hopefully progress.
I look forward to chatting over the w/e. Love Rachelx

Let the brush take charge!

Dear All,
Here is the artwork I discussed with you on the ’phone – I hope you receive it successfully.

The one below is on a bigger piece of paper, as my teacher is encouraging me to paint on a larger scale. It is rather light, but hopefully you can see it or at least get an impression of what it looks like.

I am also learning to ‘draw’ with a brush, which saves time on quick works – here is my first attempt. Love Rachelxx

5min pose ‘drawn’ with brush (for first time)