Still working off of old drawings and the mirror, but luckily I have had many great models in the past and am looking to the future.



During the lockdown, I got my big mirror out and have be posing for myself. I started out with 1 minute sketches because of physical limitations, holding the paper, weird positions etc. Now I tried longer sketches, the poses tend to be profile or frontal, naturally. I have noticed a strange perceptual phenomena though. I am right handed, and if I have the paper on my right, everything happens normally. However if I put the paper on my left side and draw with my right hand, I get a mirror image. If I make a conscious effort to draw what I actually see I can overcome this but it is difficult. Another odd effect orientation. If I do a pose that has me sideways or upside down, if I don’t draw in the same orientation, the drawings tend to go abstract. I have noticed this while drawing models too, if their head is sideways sometimes I have to turn my head to see the face. I am not sure if this is psychological, or physical. Perhaps some sort of dyslexia.
Here are some new drawings done from 5 minute charcoal sketches. Mood swings all over the place. New York is opening up slowly but it will still be a few months before the studio can open.
Since the corona virus lockdown began, I haven’t been able to get live models, so I have been taking old sketches and redrawing them. Most are from 1 to five mute drawing. They are all 18×24, pastel and charcoal.
Click on an image to see it larger
Here are some larger pastels, mostly 48 inches by 36 inches, approximately, done on on red rosin paper, the kind you cover the floor with when doing construction. It has a great tooth and is great to work on, although I have doubts about the acid levels.
Here are some drawings done at LaPortaBlu, a great place to draw the figure in Rome. Every Friday night , Alberto hosts a 2 hour session with great models. It felt like a home away from home.
Some images from an upcoming show of pastels and drypoint at Mercerberg Academy’s Cofrin Gallery,
The Isolated Figure
Bruce Williams
January 11th – February 28th
Artist Reception January 18th 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
or by appointment, call 717-328-6206
During October/November I have been posing at Minerva’s Drawing Studio (aka Spring Studio) frequently. Here are some drawings done on an IPad with a Apple pencil by Mark Leibowitz. 5 to 10 minutes if I remember correctly.