AlexDrawsLife

Asheville, NC-based artist drawing nudes from life. Because of Tumblr's new censorship policy, I will no longer be sharing new works. Find me on the web or on Instagram under the same name.

[alexdrawslife]

Let's call this a throwback Thursday offering. A lifetime ago, I was in a band, an awesome band, called The Dead Poets. We released three albums, we toured a bit, and had loads of fun. In 1999, we recorded a musical treatment of Robert Frost's poem, "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening." His estate refused us license to use his words, so the recording went into the vault. Far-forward 20 years: On January 1st, 2019, that poem entered the public domain. So now we're making our song available as a free download: www.thedeadpoets.com/frost/. It's old, we were young(er), and it's free! If you like it, feel free to share; we no longer tour, but it'd feel good. Also, digital painting by me. Those were the days. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... #tbt #whenwewereyoung #iwasinaband #music #albumcover #deadpoets https://www.instagram.com/p/BsLP5GPAEvu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=191augm46mdaq

[alexdrawslife]

Ariel, from last Friday's figure drawing salon at Colourfield. I found this to be a fascinating and challenging pose for several reasons, but mostly for the expanse of thigh dominating the angle due to the twist of her hip; without seeing her feet, you might think she was a beached mermaid. The koi tattoo only accentuated that, so naturally I had to include it. (Full disclosure: I embellished it after the fact, as the pose was fairly short.) 18x24", willow charcoal on Strathmore heavy weight drawing paper. Happy Sunday! ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrdM-NWAh54/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1y2j2inuyor7a

[alexdrawslife]

30-minutes, penultimate pose of the night, possibly finding something akin to a groove. Hello, foreshortening, my old friend. Still having issues with proportions, so I'll continue in this vein awhile longer. 18x24", willow charcoal on Strathmore heavyweight drawing paper. ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Brb25F0g9d4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10cu24powboa6

[alexdrawslife]

It's good to take a step back and concentrate on fundamentals; if a line isn't advancing the narrative, it can probably be omitted. Last night's figure drawing salon at Colourfield was an exercise in visual conversation. Ariel, 15-minute pose. 24x18", willow charcoal on Strathmore heavy weight drawing paper. ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Colourfield) https://www.instagram.com/p/BraZfRwAnRD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=icy38iylgb5k

[alexdrawslife]

This evening's figure drawing salon at Colourfield was good. Our model, Ariel, gave us lots of solid, challenging poses. The atmosphere was studious but convivial. Marcia brought dip. ... I missed color from the first moment. It felt like my eyes were yelling at me: "What? Just white paper?! Are you nuts?!?!" But it was fine. ... I'll probably pick up some red tomorrow. ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrZEPPsA6ua/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=52okc8wcw9e8

[alexdrawslife]

Preparing for tonight's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, archiving some of last week's work. This evening will be all just charcoal on white, so it'll be interesting to see what comes from it. Happy Friday! ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Colourfield) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrYUoHmggB0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s4ffklugy1w6

[alexdrawslife]

From last Friday's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, Keri modeling. I thought it would be fun to build the whole thing from masses of color and light. Turns out, that's not just difficult, it's also disorienting; I think I use line as my anchor. Still, fun and educational. ... Loving the snow, especially from inside where it's warm! ... 50x65cm, only pastel on indigo Canson Mi-Teintes art paper, the smooth side. ... Available. DM. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrLS1cyAk7d/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rm9yviicdl0c

[alexdrawslife]

A couple of quick studies of Keri from yesterday evening's figure drawing salon at Colourfield. This color of paper really lends itself to this kind of treatment, but others do it much better. ... Lots more to come from that session, plus other projects in the works. Here in the mountains, the rain is turning to snow; i's a good night to get things done. Stay tuned. ... 65x50xcm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes art paper, the smooth side. ... Available. DM. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrJXEq0Au5y/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h7303f5cii33

[alexdrawslife]

From yesterday evening's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, Keri on yellow-orange. I wasn't going to add the green, since it's something I've done several times already, but I did it anyway. Then I added the robe, and it was game on. The photo doesn't come close to capturing the heat. I could stir this around for awhile. ... 50x65cm, pastel and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes art paper, the smooth side. ... Available. DM. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrIoBGIgtLk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jaal25gqv3re

[alexdrawslife]

Something a bit different: The lovely Paige as a pin-up calendar girl. Concept by her, drawing by me, the pose we figured out together. From life, so far, a work-in-progress. Next, I'll fill in some background details. Crazy how much fun this is. Happy Thursday! ... 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes art paper, the smooth side. ... Available? Maybe when it's done. DM for current pricing. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrEq5ePlnwh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wvfd94hyxtwg

[alexdrawslife]

Works in pastel are often, if not widely, considered paintings. In this case, I treated it as such. Melissa on the couch, chatting. Also, rather than setting up diffuse and dramatic photo spots, we opted for dim, direct, warm lighting, from a simple lamp. I exaggerated the cools to emphasize that. And yes, it's possible this will undergo further development, we'll see. ... 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes art paper, the smooth side. ... Available. DM for current pricing. ... Studio sale has ended - my profound thanks to everyone who took advantage of the discounts. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq_awpFA8dF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1we4ei7fqq90r

[alexdrawslife]

Mel came by this weekend and we enjoyed a few hours of drawing and conversation. Building on something I tried a few days ago, this composition is Melissa draped around herself. I may yet add some color, but for now I'm going to let it percolate a bit. Happy Monday! ... 65x50cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes, the smooth side. ... Available as-is, but as I said it may change, too. DM for pricing. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq6aZK1gZV6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=179pf9b1vohhw

[alexdrawslife]

From last Friday's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, more Madi. This, too, may not be quite finished, we'll see. I'm undecided on the warm highlights - or, rather, on the degree of warmth. Fortunately, I've used a light touch on this one, so virtually anything can be changed. ... 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes drawing paper, the smooth side. ... Possibly available. DM with inquiries. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq30t6Ogexn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fzk6uqw6hr3p

[alexdrawslife]

As promised, finished version of the last drawing. I spent about another 30 minutes or so. I wanted to enhance the dimensionality while retaining the almost iridescent tones I saw. Keeping the overall rich violet of the paper was important, too; adding bright, complementary colors can deaden the ground. Heck, I could go on, but it seems silly to devote more time to the caption than I did to the drawing. ... 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes, the smooth side. ... My original pastel nudes are 25% off for one more day: AlexDrawLife.com. Link in bio. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2gHOagyPc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1eruawsx6r8kn

[alexdrawslife]

From last night's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, Madi. First stage, 15-minute pose. Let me explain: This evening I tried something a bit different (because of course); each drawing I took to a specific degree of completion - of ripeness, if you will - for later finishing. In previous sessions, I had no such strategy; I would draw until the pose ended and just see what happened. By setting a goal of how much I wanted to capture in the allotted span, I wondered whether I could steer the process of discovery, rather than merely floating in a warm sea of observational bliss. I'll post the next stage of this one later today. We'll see! ... 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes, the smooth side. ... My original pastel nudes are 25% off for one more day: AlexDrawLife.com. Link in bio. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2Je5hgUDN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hduwwcnbx83

[alexdrawslife]

From last Friday's figure drawing salon at Colourfield, a bit of portraiture. 50x65cm, charcoal and pastel on a half sheet of Canson Mi-Teintes, the smooth side. Happy Thursday! ... My original pastel nudes are 25% off for a few more days: AlexDrawLife.com. Link in bio. ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqxbsmuAkye/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1sqpihu56ratf

[alexdrawslife]

Jacqueline on orange with teal accent. From last night's excellent figure drawing salon at Colourfield. I'll typically start with charcoal, but this time I chose not to mute the heat. As for the teal, well, it just is. 50x65cm, pastel on Canson Mi-teintes paper - the smooth side. ... As with most drawings I share, this is available for purchase. DM or follow link in bio. Happy Saturday! ... ... ... ... ... ... #artwork #drawing #dessin #desnudos #dibujo #charcoaldrawing #pastelpainting #figurativeart #contemporarydrawing #drawinganatomyandart #figuredrawing #figurestudy #lifedrawing #nudedrawing #femalenude #femalebody #femaleform #fineartnude #artmodel #drawingfromlife #colourfieldstudios #ashevilleartist #alexdrawslife (at Asheville, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqSaS6wA8sv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19aeblv7upwvg