Well, perhaps this is a change in the weather....

It will be a new thing, to have just teenagers and/or adults in my class when it starts on Monday. I've always had a principle of letting anyone into my class who was seriously interested in the subject, and I dislike leaving anyone out on purely technical grounds -- especially since I myself would have hated to be excluded from a class based solely on my age. Yes, I was precocious, and not every child with an interest is capable of sustaining it through specialized training. But I'd rather give someone a chance to prove themself if they're determined than tell them to wait until they've met some arbitrary requirement...and even if they're not yet capable of the finest hand-eye coordination or appreciation of scale or shading, it's still possible to plant the seeds of solid technique and see them start to sprout, and know that if that mental and practical trajectory continues then yes, the student will progress and one will have done one's part.

And on the other hand, sometimes there are older students who have become so self-consciously attached to what pleases others and suffices well-enough for them that they have a dire phobia of taking risks and exploring, of letting go of the safety that's served them well -- even greater than the young child's fear of letting go of the circle heads, round eyes and triangular noses that everyone understands as adequately shorthanded information to decipher a human face. This stylistic rigidity is a frustrating (for the teacher at least) plateau, even though it's far easier then to grasp and understand the naturalistic and dynamic techniques once one dares to let go and actually do the experimentation.

When it comes to having an evening class, though, there's a lot less room to bend the age limits. Whether for the sake of a regular bedtime or of social protocols or of studio management, it's hard to countenance having unaccompanied 8-11 year-olds in a class that runs from 6:30 to 9:00 at night -- especially when older students are all too easily neglected in favour of nurturing and supporting the younger artists in their fledgling phases.

I do have some apprehensions about teaching solely to a teens-plus audience this quarter. I hope that they aren't too jaded to see the value of foundational and refreshing, mentally-jumpstarting artistic exercise. I hope that they have enough of a capacity for the fantastic and fascinating to not regard my eclectically-rambling lectures and examples as too childish for their attention. I hope that the energy and flexibility that I've had to develop in dealing mainly with children (and their overburdened schedules) has not deprived me of the firmness to guide and set standards and expect visible results from those who are better able to direct their own time. I hope they have enough originality to not just slavishly copy from my vast morgue of photographs...but I also hope that they've got enough self-discipline to see the value in working from both ends and all ends of media vs. live 3D sittings.

And of course, I certainly hope that enough of them sign up for the class to make up a decent number for partner-drawing activities, as I don't know where I'm likely to find an art model with reasonable rates on this short notice....

Now on Monday evenings, we bring you the Summer session of "How to Draw Real Live People"....

Summer Session 2009 is on Monday nights downstairs in the La Grange Art League Gallery from 6:30-9:00 pm -- this is a totally new day and time and studio space, angled for teens through adults for an older and more mature "all ages" format, with more determined emphasis on portfolio-building and producing finished works for exhibition. This is an ideal intensive course for younger artists who are developing a greater interest in 'drawing people' realistically, as well as for more-experienced artists seeking to hone their observational skills and focus on the finer points of getting a convincing likeness.

We will cover anatomy, proportions and the figure-drawing canons; light/shadow rendering and creative use of color (crayon, colored pencil, pastels and oil pastels); arranging and extracting poses; conveying personality through visual details, and creating dynamic portraits using live sittings, photographs, imagination and everyday character observation. Bring a large (at least 11" x 14") sketchbook, drawing pencils and two-pocket folder, plus your own drawing pencils, colored pencils, crayons and/or pens if desired — in-classroom supplies will be provided; full/optional supplies list available in gallery.


Classes run 8 weeks, from June 15 to August 3. For further details and downloadable PDF registration form, go to http://www.lagrangeartleague.org/Classes - or register via telephone or in person at the La Grange Art League, 122 Calendar Avenue, La Grange, IL 60525; Telephone: 708-352-3101.


About the Instructor

Kagen Aurencz Zethmayr has been active as a freelance artist for over twenty years, doing everything from concert/theatre programs to commissioned portraits to period costume design. Education includes Columbia College Chicago (BA) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with prior experience as a staff artist for The Lion and Menagerie at Lyons Township H.S. Personal artistic emphasis: creating/showing character and mood as effectively as possible, whatever the scene.

"How to Draw Real Live People" - fullsize flier (Summer 2009).

"How to Draw Real Live People" - quarter-size handbill (Summer 2009).

Also posted to Starving Artists' Forum (on both Facebook and YahooGroups) and the Aureantes' Realm portfolio/career updates group.