ROBERTO OSTI
10/23/2021
Figure Drawing Foundation
This course is specifically designed for the students that want to approach the practice of figure drawing systematically, starting from a solid foundation that can later give them access to more advanced and specific courses on the figure.
During this six, online sessions course, of the duration of 3 hours each, the students will practice...
10/20/2021
ODS 25, Facial features
This Open Drawing Session is dedicated to the exploration of the facial features that will be at first discussed and drawn considering their typical proportions and correct positioning on the face and head, then with a number of quick sketches from various angles and foreshortenings, exploring a few of the infinite creative possibilities that the facial features and facial expressions can offer to artists.
A good occasion to brush up on this subject or to win the “natural” hesitation we might have about drawing this complex but satisfying topic.
Materials
Graphite pencils in HB-2B, and or colored pencils in red earth (burnt Sienna or Venetian red, Indian red, sanguine…), brown, black.
Good –decent quality drawing paper such as Strathmore, Canson, Legion. The paper can be white or tone, your choice.
Easer, pencil sharpeners.
10/20/2021
Drawing with Sargent
Choosing a few of John Singer Sargent’s drawings to use as subject for this session of “Drawing with…” was really hard, I felt like a kid in a candy store, surrounded by delicious stuff and not being able to decide what to pick.
John Singer Sargent worked in oil, watercolor, charcoal, mastering all these media to the highest level and creating a great number of artworks, all of them beautiful.
This Drawing Session is dedicated to copying two or three of his charcoal drawings, to study his technique and to practice drawing with this versatile and luscious medium.
Materials:
Charcoal in sticks and pencils, my favorite brands are Nitram for the charcoal in sticks, medium and soft (B-2B) and General’s compressed charcoal pencils, medium, soft and extra soft.
A pad of Strathmore Charcoal paper in white, kneaded eraser, sand paper.
You can also use any charcoal brand you already have or your favorite paper you already use for charcoal but I would not use willow charcoal for this session because it not the best choice for this type of drawings.
10/16/2021
Creative Figure Drawing again! ODS #24
The recent Creative Figure Drawing session was quite fun, so, let’s do it again! In this drawing Session, we will keep exploring creative and expressive ways to visualize the figure working from photos, using a variety of media: charcoal, conte or cretacolor sticks, graphite, pen and ink, watercolor washes. Bring also a few pieces of drawing and watercolor paper and be ready to hone your technical skills and try some new ones.
10/15/2021
This course is specifically designed to give the students interested in portraiture, a solid foundation on the subject.
In this six sessions, online course, the participant will work from photographic references creating a number of portraits in a variety of dry media and techniques: graphite, charcoal, colored pencils, Conte crayons, reduction technique, Trois Crayon technique, pen and ink with water media washes. The students will also be encouraged to work from life preparing self-portraits or portraits of family and friends as homework assignment, continuing practicing the techniques studied in class and further develop technical skills.
The techniques we will practice during these 6 weekly sessions, each lasting 2:30 hours, include those that are traditionally used for portraiture to obtain a good level of realism and detail but also quick preliminary sketches to study subject and composition, utilizing also modern approaches and materials such as markers, ballpoint pen and so on.
10/13/2021
An ongoing show at the MET is honoring the Mannerists, a group of artists active in Italy in the 16th century, between the high Renaissance and the Baroque.
Jacopo Carrucci, aka Pontormo, is one of my favorite artists of this short lived yet revolutionary period.
During this 2:30 hours online session, we will copy and study a few drawings by Jacopo da Pontormo, appreciating his uniquely expressive style, full of pathos and dynamism, a great way to prepare for a visit to the MET, where you can find some of his original works exhibited.
