Eden - Drawing workshop demonstration

[Linda Brandon]

This is beautiful, Marvin. I've been doing some drawings on toned paper lately and it really helps to see the closeups of the sensitive lines you've posted here.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Thanks Alex,

As I was developing the drawing my students were commenting on how the head seemed to be popping off the page. In terms of achieving dimensionality I believe it is more a function of artistic intention that merely replicating what we see. This manipulation is at the heart of my teaching in both drawing and painting.

Linda my dear,

I love working with the charcoal and chalk. It encourages the lightest of touches. By combining stumping, erasing and building up strokes, the manipulation of the values takes on very subtle proportions. This is what I've evidenced through my study of Prud'hon. I don't try to copy his exact style but just the general idea of how he built up his values.

It's also important to keep stepping back and viewing the drawing from a distance. Some things that seem barely discernible up close look quite defined from a distance, while seemingly disparate areas viewed up close meld together at a distance.

[Patricia Joyce]

So beautiful, Marvin. I find it difficult to go dark without burnishing the charcoal, but you created the values with a seemingly breathless simplicity, love it.

[David Draime]

Beautiful, Marvin. I too, love these materials, the great effects that can be achieved, especially the sense of atmosphere you describe. I've done a few from live models, but need to do a lot more...

Originally Posted by Marvin Mattelson

.It's also important to keep stepping back and viewing the drawing from a distance. Some things that seem barely discernible up close look quite defined from a distance, while seemingly disparate areas viewed up close meld together at a distance.

This so hugely important, and even knowing this, I find myself not doing it enough!

[Chris Saper]

I agree. My teacher, Bill Whitaker, calls it the artist's dance - moving constantly back and forth. Having studied with Bill for a number of years, I have come to think of it as Whitakers' Waltz. I also think of my teacher, Phil Beck, who said something to the effect "Don't get close enough to smell your painting"

Marvin, this is a lovely piece.

[Marvin Mattelson]

David, Patty and Chris, thanks for the encouragement. I wish I had the time to do a drawing every day.

I know when most people think of my work, they think detail first. Detail is just another weapon in the artists toolbox. Detail itself never can carry the load. When used intelligently and sparingly it can be quite effective, but the big aspects must be correct in order to support the smaller. Stepping back is the best way to achieve this.

Sargent was notorious for stepping back, since he worked sight-size. I believe he estimated his pacing back and forth were equivalent to a couple of miles per day. Would this be the 'Sargent Samba'?

I refer to my dance as the 'two-step'. I tell my students that if they want their work to take a step forward, they first need to take two steps back. Maybe 'Marvin's Mambo'?

[Marvin Mattelson]

I'm excited to find out that Eden will be modeling for me in my painting workshop for the next two weeks in Atlanta. I'll be posting the end result of my efforts.