The Return of the Redhead

I was priveleged enough to get Naomi the fabulous new (to me!) model round for a modelling session at Wick Hall.
I would love to do some mock pulp crime novels with her as she's exactly right for a femme fatale despite being a really sweet girl. In the meantime, here are my sketches from a few days ago.

Laura the Fabulous Finn

Last night at The Sussex County Arts Club our model was Laura the fabulous Finn. I saw her a couple of nights ago playing her double bass in a local bar and belting out her own excellent songs. She's a talented lass and a great model too. One of the group's favourites. Here are my best six of the night.

Naomi!!!

As there is a different model every week at SCAC (we are sooo spoiled in Brighton for life drawing!)
sometimes you get a very pleasant surprise. Such was the case last night when Naomi, who has been modelling for a while in Brighton, did her first session at Bill Donohoe's class.
Not only does she have a perfect figure and a lovely face AND a shock of magnificent red hair BUT she's a fantastic model who can hold a difficult pose as though she's made of marble. All the regulars were impressed and Jeremy Radvan immediately booked her for one of his classes.
She's like a cross between a Mucha maiden and a femme fatale. I'd love to work on a project with her. We'll see! Anyway, enough blather from me. Here are my best attempts at capturing her loveliness.

The Drawing Circus

After spending Christmas and New Year in Palma I was looking forward to some life drawing back in Brighton and last night was another of Jake Spicer's monthly events called The Drawing Circus. We had three models dressed in harlequin and clown costumes and it was packed with enthusiastic scribblers including my good mates Mark Xavier Harrison and Geo Parkin. Also there was the extremely talented graphic novelist Hannah Berry and Jan Irvine among many others. Our superb models were Laura Kate O'Rourke, Michaela Meadows and Felix. It was a great session after which Geo, Mark and I decamped to the Conquerer to plan our conquest of the world.
Look out world! Here some some old gits!

Tonina in Palma

After a long lay-off from attending life drawing sessions in Palma my pal, Alan and I took ourselves off to the vaults under the cathedral for a 2 hour (no break) attempt at capturing the lovely, curvaceous Tonina who is the new regular model. She is also a quite staggeringly good illustrator who is working on a large political drawing with her partner which is so finely detailed and complex that it makes my
busy drawings (see my Christmas card) look simplistic. Anyway, here are my best ones.

Kiara

Last night there was a packed-to-the-rafters SCAC life drawing session where we all attempted to capture the excellent poses of our model Kiara. Talking to Geo Parkin in the pub afterwards we remarked on how much we miss life drawing when we have a respite from it for whatever reason.
It's an addictive, meditative experience and I'd recommend it to anyone whatever your level of drawing expertise. Bill's class is very friendly and he plays great music so don't be shy- come on down!

Clementine

Last night here in Brighton was my first life drawing session at The Sussex Arts Club for about 3 months. I'd attended a couple of sessions in Palma but I'm not keen on how the Palma session is run. There is no music, no tea break and the same model for months. So it was very pleasant to get back
to Bill's Tuesday night class where he plays a great variety of fab toons, there is a decent tea break (with biccies) and a different model every week. Last night's model was a new one on me- the delightful Clementine, a lovely French girl with a fantastic mop of curly red hair. It's good to be back!