Thesis for Folio One

In the beginning I began by exploring the repetition in drawing. I was interested in the process of creating the drawing, as well as the poses and models that are used. I realized I was getting caught drawing academically - drawing the literal body, and fitting the whole figure onto the page. At first, I tried to break out of this by introducing collage into the work. It didn't quite work out, it didn't introduce anything new to my drawing. Then I tried to collage the model first and draw the digital image. This also failed.....

After these attempts, we began doing some interesting readings and discussing the setting in which we draw. Why we use models and their role in our work. I liked the idea of masking the model in an attempt to discuss the loss of identity and the anonymity of the model. Once the drawing session is over, the model can not control the outcome of the work - or who views it. The masking of the figure is in an attempt to protect their identity and to amplify the anonymity of the subject. It also creates a sense of surrealism, when someone puts on a mask it brings some theatricality into the poses and the work that is produced. Doing life drawing in a classroom setting is a surreal and theatrical experience, and I think this is amplified by the use of the mask. 

I realised that I was setting up all my work in the same way, fitting the entire figure on the page. In an attempt to break out from staging my work this way, I experimented with omitting parts of the body and cropping the figure. I also started looking into autonomous drawing machines to try and relinquish some control. I began by drawing the organic form first and then used wind up toys over the top. I also used larger sizes of paper to get out of the standard A1 size we use in academic drawing. The use of the wind up toys was a very repetitive process.


By exploring all of this I have come to the conclusion that life drawing and using a posing model is an important aspect in learning how to draw, but not in the traditional sense. It is a unique environment to draw in and it presents opportunities to investigate new drawing techniques and unique gestures.There is theatricality and performance aspects in life drawing classes and they come through in the gesture and attitude of the work. I believe that in contemporary art practice, academic drawing standards should not be a tool for assessing how successful a drawing is.


I believe that my work has benefited from the combination of experimental techniques and drawing from the model. I have come to the conclusion that it is okay for the drawing to be itself, it does not have to look exactly like the referent.