Dear Subscribers,

Greetings!
 
My class is off to a great start in April. Started teaching cast drawing as an option for students. Here is a step-by-step diagram of the vine charcoal method I'm teaching (I'll just call it 'the Schuler School method').

 
The steps are: shape of shadow; fill in shadow shape; cover in mid-tone; darken turning shadows and cast shadows; pull out lights and refine. (this diagram inspired by my memory of a much more impressive diagram by Schuler instructor Hans Guerin... if I remember correctly it was a bust of Homer? (egads, so much beard hair! over and over and over again)
 
closeup of that final stage:

 
My students who tried it caught on very fast.
Very important skill for seeing shape of shadow...which translates to still life and portrait and everything else.
 
A quickie fruit demo, typical of what I'll do for a new still-life student to show the process:
 

 
New still-life! Sorry, no progress stages this week. How very lazy of me.
"Beacon" (8x8):
 

 
(Click through the image above to access the Facebook "Like" button!)
 
This painting was done with just a knife. I love how fast you pile the paint with a knife.
 
Post comments/questions about this week's issue at The Newsletter Forum!
 
Until next week,
David A. N. Cheifetz
www.davidcheifetz.com

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