Life Class - with Humphrey Ocean

Series 1, Episode 2 of Life Class on Channel 4 found us in the Life Room of the Royal Academy Schools with Humphrey Ocean RA as our tutor.

Tinka Zif - Life Class with Humprey Ocean, Channel 4

all images pencil on heavy cartridge paper
all images copyright Katherine Tyrrell

This time the model is one who I've drawn before in my Drawing a Head class at the Prince's Drawing School. I find I can NEVER draw her head and have torn up too much paper to try too hard with the head this time.

Humphrey Ocean opted for one pose for the whole session and was painting. You can see how he paints portraits on his website

It wasn't that long before he identified the main problem with this sort of approach to teaching. It's virtually impossible to talk sensibly and draw in the way you would wish to at the same time. It's one of the reasons why life classes are such peaceful places!

He started by talking through what he was doing in terms of measuring and locating parts of the body which were all on the same vertical or horizontal line. He also emphasised what hard work drawing is when you draw a person.

Below are a few of the things he said which I jotted down while drawing.

Don't worry about whether it looks like them. Don't try too hard. With a bit of luck it will look like them

You'll draw a better nose if you don't draw 'a nose' but only draw what you see in front of you

every shape you draw is worth enjoying

Here are the links for the rest of this week.

• Series 1, Episode 3 - the tutor is Gary Hume (in his London studio)
• Series 1, Episode 4 - the tutor is Judy Purbeck (in Hornsey Library)
• Series 1, Episode 5 - the tutor is John Berger (in a dance studio in Paris)
  

My drawings can be be found in Life Class, Channel 4. I've had to remove the link to the Group Pool as the drawings are not being moderated and the Group Admin appears to be asleep.

Plus I've now moved A Making A Mark Guide: Life Drawing and Life Class to my Making A Mark website. You can now read it on the website without downloading it.

You can also see some of the drawings I did when I took a class last year in Life drawing in the Royal Academy Schools Life Room