Original Figure Drawing, “Nikita, Hands Crossed”, charcoal on paper, 24 x 36”, 2020

The model Nikita is a bit of a fixture in the Seattle fine art world.  This drawing was made from life during an Open Studio at the Gage Academy of Art.  With limited time, twenty minutes or less, I chose to study his crossed hands, grasping a broomstick, and the way the light fell over his forms, cast from a bright spotlight, a standard way to light a live model during a figure drawing session.  Most of the paper is toned with smeared charcoal, while the lightest lights were never touched, simply the white of the paper.  Darker strokes grind the charcoal into the tooth of the paper, creating a deep blackish gray.

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