Dates: (4 Weekends)
March 25-27, 2022
May 13-15, 2022
October 14-16, 2022
December 9-11, 2022
Cost:
1 Session = $663.93
2 sessions = $1,327.24
4 Sessions = $2,285.74
Sara Lacy Registration
Overview
In this 4 part workshop series, we will approach drawing the figure through several different lenses that build upon each other. In the first workshop, we will study how movement informs the body and how we can draw more graceful, life-like figures. From there, the second workshop will focus on structure, form, and proportion, giving our figure drawings weight and anatomical naturalism. In the third workshop, we’ll delve into light and shadow, learning how to shade our figure drawings accurately and luminously. In the final workshop, we’ll focus on refining our figure drawings by studying the more complex areas of the portrait, hands, and feet. Together, these concepts and theories will help you explore the beauty and poetry of the human body.
Each workshop will be a combination of demonstration and practice time from a live model. This series of classes is designed to leave you feeling more confident in your ability to draw more dynamic, evocative, and naturalistic figures and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to continually push yourself forward as an artist.
Workshop Descriptions
March 25-27, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 1: Grace & Movement
When we’re learning to draw, students often assume that proportion is the most important thing we need to improve our figure drawings. While this can lead to perfect measurements, it doesn’t lead to a sense of dynamic inner life.
We want our drawings to feel alive and full of movement: as if they could get up and walk away at any moment. Understanding movement and the shape of organic form is how we can infuse our drawings with this deep sense of life. Without these foundations, drawings can become blocky, stiff and feel not quite “human”.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Inner movement and how it dictates everything the body does
· How to think in three dimensional space
· How to build a dynamic block in
· The rules of organic form
· How the body is structured and designed
May 13-15, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 2: Structure and Proportion
Once our drawings have a sense of movement (see Workshop 1), we want to give them a strong framework and structure so that our drawings have both movement and muscle. Building upon what we covered in the first workshop, this class will delve more deeply into building form, proportion and the construction of the human body.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Structural thinking and how to think in three-dimensional space
· How to effectively use your block in
· What are the elements of an accurate and beautiful contour
· The rules of organic form
· Proportion
· How the body is structured and designed
Oct 14 – 16, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 3: Light & Shadow
Once we have a foundational understanding of how to draw a figure that is both dynamic and anatomically accurate, we move on to investigating light and shadow more deeply. How does light work? How does it interact with the shapes of the human body? How do we build both the largest light effect and learn how to light the smaller, more detailed shapes? This class will cover all of your burning questions about how to shade your figure drawings, giving you the knowledge you need to understand light deeply and create luminous drawings.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· The physics of light
· How light and human form interact
· The four orders of light effects
· The rules of organic form
· Why you want to think about eggs when you’re lighting the figure
· The importance of wedging and tapering light shapes
· How to make your figures look full and round
Dec 9-11, 2022
Figure Drawing Part 4: Refining the Figure (Portrait, Hands, Feet)
Once we have a figure drawing filled with movement, structure and light, we can turn to the more detailed aspects of refining our drawings. This class will tackle the “fiddly bits” - an overview of portrait drawing, hands and feet so that we can create drawings that feel “finished”. These aspects of the figure will build upon everything else that we learned this year, taking the underlying theories and concepts and applying them to the more complex and detailed parts of the body.
The workshop will be a combination of demonstrations of various exercises and practice time for these exercises. There will be individual support and critique as well.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
· Structure of the portrait and the proportions of the face
· Using the theories we’ve been studying to analyze and understand the eyes, ears, nose and mouth
· An effective approach for drawings hands & fingers
· The structure of feet and toes
· General principles and ideas for refining your figure drawings
Bio:
Sarah Marie Lacy is an award-winning artist and teacher based in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa. Known for her accessible, effective and humorous teaching style, she ran the popular figure drawing atelier “The Drawing Room Studio” for 5 years, and is highly sought after as a teacher. She has been an invited demonstrating artist at the National Gallery of Canada on multiple occasions, particularly for exhibitions with an 18th century drawing focus. Trained in classical realism at Studio Escalier, her intimate portraits and nudes explore the silent stories that are written on our bones and skin. She has received several awards and grants, including first place in The Artist Magazine’s Annual Competition and a Certificate of Excellence in the Portrait Society of America’s International Competition.
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