Life Drawings at the United Arts Club

I am delighted to have a few life drawings in Brian's latest group show at the United Arts Club opening later tonight the 7th May.
I used charcoal in the top pic and wax crayon and chalk on the lower...both were drawn on Ingres paper.

Emma As Olympia, In Stages

I always like to photograph my life paintings at various stages.

It is useful to chart your progress and to see where sometimes you might have gone wrong.

Very often it can also show you the point that you probably should have left off painting, which is always difficult to call.
Here's a set of Emma posed as Olympia. (please excuse the green tinge some of them have)

http://pjlynch.bigcartel.com/product/painting-the-nude-figure-from-life-with-pj-lynch

Nude in The Moth

The Moth is a pretty cool arts and literature magazine produced by Rebecca O'Connor and Will Govan. My nude study of Keshet is in their latest issue illustrating a very atmospheric short story by John Boyne, called Empire Tour.

Life Drawing at the RHA

I am looking forward to teaching life drawing at the RHA for a month of Wednesdays starting next week.
We will be working big in charcoal, so I expect it will get messy! 

The RHA Drawing Marathon

I'm looking forward to facilitating at the RHA Drawing Marathon tomorrow.

Molly will be one of the models.
Here is a drawing I did of her last week at Brian's life session at the United Arts Club.

Giuseppe Asleep on the Daybed

Here is one of my paintings that will be shown in the group exhibition opening at the United Arts Club this Thursday evening. The model was my buddy Giuseppe.
The work on show has mostly been created at Brian Gallagher's Thursday night life drawing session at the UAC.

Two Female Life Studies

I've been digging through some life drawings looking for something suitable for Brian Gallagher's upcoming United Arts Club group exhibition.
Here are a couple that I had on my shortlist.

Model On A Tiled Floor

I haven't posted this one before either as I wasn't entirely happy with the life painting in it's raw state.
So I have simplified the tonal values and added the checked floor.
The tiled pattern can be a wonderful device for adding interest and depth at the same time.

Life Painting of Karen

I've been hunting through my store of life paintings for some upcoming exhibitions.

This one of Karen is from about three years ago.

I quite like its completeness, but mostly I tend to leave my paintings rougher and more unfinished now.

Life Drawing at the United Arts Club

It was nice to be back at Brian's Life Drawing session at the United Arts Club last night.

We had a wonderful new and statuesque model named Laura.

Here are a couple of my charcoal sketches

A Pencil Sketch From Life

I tend to try to make my life drawings and paintings looser these days, but I came across this pencil drawing I did a while ago and was very happy with the greater level of detail I had achieved.
This one is similar in character to the pencil sketches I do for my illustration work in that it depends on line and careful shading to show form rather than the more painterly blocking in of light areas that I do with my paintings and charcoal drawings.

Busy Arty Saturday!

I've got a busy day tomorrow with my portraiture workshop at Kennedy Art  followed by our open studio event here at La Catedral which is part of Visit 2013. (I'll be on hand between 4 and 6pm).

I've got about thirty of my paintings up in the hallway including these portraits of Reuben, Molly and Tony. 

These are all life paintings but for me they tick the boxes for portraiture too.

By the way, my class was over subscribed so Kennedy's have scheduled another portraiture workshop with me on the 8th June.
Contact Kennedy's if you'd like to join us for that one.
ph  + 353 (1) 475 1749
info@kennedyart.com

Visit 2013

I am putting together a wall of life paintings in the hall outside my studio for Visit on Saturday 11th May.

Visit is a city-wide open studio day. 

In Dublin City, artist’s studios old and new exist in a variety of buildings including industrial warehouses, Georgian buildings, converted stables and former shop units. You might not be aware that the building on the corner or down the road from your house is actually a hub of artistic activity. If you have ever been curious about what goes on inside an artists studios, Visit 2013 is your chance to find out! 

You are welcome to come an visit us La Catedral Studios and The Back Loft.

Most of the artists, including el Presidente, Anthony, will be here from noon till 6pm and there should be a great atmosphere. There is also the added attraction of Feel Free to Jam, where musicians are invited to bring their instruments and jam around our piano at the back Loft.

I'll be rushing up to the studio after my portraiture workshop at Kennedy Art, so I will be here between 4pm and 6pm. 
I hope to see some of you then.

Two Portrait Sketches

Yesterday at life drawing I got in some practice for my upcoming portrait sketch workshop at Kennedy Art. This tighter than usual study of Molly took about four hours.

Then I did a quick portrait sketch (2 hours) of Des.
With his powerful body and those granite features Des can look very stern and a bit scary when he's posing, but in reality he is a sweet and very gentle man.
Thanks to my pal Blaise Smith for inviting me along.

Life Study of Joanne, Revisited.

I have just tidied up the background of this life study of Joanne for a forthcoming exhibition.
This is one of my favourite nude portraits.
Don't forget my portrait workshop at Kennedy Art in May.

Two Hour Portrait Study

It was nice to be back painting at the RHA last week.
This is the portrait study I did of Aine.

Rediscovering Willow Charcoal

I hope to do some more detailed blog entries on all the teaching I have been doing lately.
I must say I really enjoy the process and I have certainly been getting a lot out of the sessions in quite unexpected ways.
One thing is that I have become re-enamoured with the whole process of drawing with charcoal. That is largely thanks to the various attendees at my RHA workshop last week.
I had decided to myself that charcoal was just too messy and hard to control for my liking and I had taken up children's chubby crayons as my preferred sketching medium.
Some students never get to like the chubbies which is fine but last week when we were drawing our models in costume. I was persuaded that willow charcoal was absolutely right  for the job.
I gave it a go for the first time in years and loved it.
Erasing the rubbed in charcoal is the perfect way to define folds in drapery without too much fuss.

Here are a few older charcoal sketches too.
I can't wait to do some more.
By way of contrast , the portrait head below was done with the chubbies.

Life Room Art at the UAC

 

I had a bit of fun with Eoin Coveney, Paul Stuart, and a few others, helping Brian Gallagher to hang his latest Life Drawing Group Exhibition at the United Arts Club this afternoon.

My paintings of Grace and Leo are in the show which will be opened by my old friend Louis Marcus this Thursday at 8pm.

Come along if you are in the area.  

Auction in aid of the United Arts Club

The United Arts Club in Dublin is a lovely relaxed spot to hang out and gossip about whichever Art you are into.
They are having an auction on Wed 10th October in the Club in aid of the UAC RESTORATION FUND.
I have contributed this little life study in oils. It measures 8x10 inches. 
Viewing is from 5pm and the Auction starts at 7 p.m. 
Admission: €5 includes wine and raffle.
It will be well worth a look as some wonderful paintings and interesting items have been donated.

RHA School Workshops

Apparently there are a couple of places left on this workshop in November, but if you are interested, you have to apply for a place by the 7th of October.