I'm really hoping some of you will have time to click on the link below - a 12 minute YouTube video I stumbled across today... Beautifully delivered ideas about what it means to be an artist. I think I'm finally starting to believe that I belong in an artistic world... And for an ex- engineer that is actually quite a big step ❤️ Happy days! https://youtu.be/MhjkZ-ABz08?si=mF7M_OL8cKSN4Dn8

Loads to take in but it is a brilliant 1.5hour lesson from @Chris Legaspi . I have plans to watch it again- watched it twice in this week. The main take away so far is no matter how much render I do, I cannot cover up bad foundations of the figure. It re-emphasises to me the importance of getting the foundations right before shading and rendering the figure. Awesome references too.

So I made it into the Royal Portrait Academy Exhibition at Hull Gallery. And getting the drawing over there was a real struggle. My museum glass was damaged. So i tried to get a new one. The gallery was closed because of illness and i had to do many phonecalls. And I am on the country so there was no alternative. So I got one on Amazon which took forever to arrive and it did just in time. Then the passepartout they send me was too small. Another one would have taken too long. So I had to cut one myself. Only had strathmore bristol for that. Then the DHL service here was full with schoolkids because they where buying all their new books there. I waited forever. Then their computer would not take the adress in UK. Until we gave up and I drove to another DHL Packing station. The Computer also did not take it. Then it turned out that express costs more than a hundred bucks and the computer HAS to take the adress for that. So i chose normal delivery. It said in 3-5 days it will be there. Yesterday was the last day for the gallery and my DHL said it has arrived. Today the gallery wrote me it is still not here. They give it another day or so.... And it is close. In York. Wish me luck. The struggle is real. My nerves cant take this guys 🥹 I aged 10 years. The hair I don't have turned grey. I can feel it. Edit : It arrived !

Something different to figure drawing. Battling with fatigue and burn out so tried something different. Ref photo from pexels. Winsor newton markers pencil and fine tip pen

Having recently watched a video posted by @Edwin Caniete (Then and Now: Philip de László - YouTube) about Philip De laszlo on @Dima Jurf s post, I couldnt help but take note of the presenter talking about De Laszlo's painting approach of constantly stepping back. Ive also heard it suggested that Sargent wore a path in the floor of his studio and could "walk" several miles for a painting while constantly checking his work. I also know artists like James Gurney and Frank Frazetta among many others (Leyendecker+Rokwell??) typically work seated. I have, for many years, worked from a drafting table. That said, I also encounter many errors in draftsmanship that may be resolved by taking the Sargent approach. Unfortunately, I have no easel (or space presently) but am wondering everyone's thoughts on sitting vs standing. Do you think this is purely a matter of preference or is there more to it? Do you prefer to sit or stand while working? I wonder if @Chris Legaspi has any particular opinion regarding what is best suited for a learner.