Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Did not go out painting for almost three weeks, so I went to Elizabeth Gamble Garden in the afternoon. There is always something inspiring for me to paint. Several subjects were in my mind, but none of them I could paint, the teahouse was undergoing renovation, and the water fountain didn't look nice during this visit. Set up my stuff and painted the nursery. Warmer than I thought, overdressed, but I didn't have different layers to take off. Sunset time is earlier, so I didn't finished and had to pack up in hurry. Arrived at the studio, we had a male model tonight. Not often we have male model to practice, felt strenuous during the three hours of drawing short poses. Also I started using different a kind of paper today.  This type of paper doesn't have the tooth to grab the charcoal, too smooth for me.  But I just start using them.  Hopefully I could overcome it soon.. Had finished 500 pieces of paper in one year of studio figure drawings, hope to get a little improveme...

After one month break, I am back to the studio to sketch live models. I didn't take break, just that there were many things to get caught up on for my solo exhibition.  During the preparation time, not everything went through smoothly, though I did think carefully.  Our model was late, I felt that I could catch up with some speed at the beginning, but was even even a little slower for grabbing my drawing papers. It was an OK session, practicing drawing often is necessary to me.  I can feel the improvement after one year of going.  Some artist told me that she had kept up her drawing for over twenty years, and never stopped.  (October 11 2022)

We had a new model again, seemed that she had brought a lot of energy into the studio.  It is interesting that I have found that each model's pose really has his or her own character. They are all unique and special Of course I only had this short pose drawing practice for less than a year. Wish I could draw faster and then could have drawn their special character into my work. (September 13 2022)

Our favorite model Leigh brought a bench, a stool, decorative stand, a backpack of clothing, an umbrella, a large folding fan and a huge pot of live plants. There were several trips back forth between her car and the studio. And she is never late, actually she always arrives earlier. One of the artists said that she was hired for a three-day workshop, she had been drawing and painting her four days in a row. Can you imaging that? Leigh was a professional ballerina in the San Francisco Ballet, her poses are stable and she always had her costume well prepared. How could she not be our favorite model.  (August 31 2022)