Anders Zorn's house

Here is an interesting talk about Anders Zorn's house in Mora, Sweden. Johan Cederlund is the director of the Zorn Museum there.



Johan Cederlund holds a PhD in art history from Lund University and was curator of the art collections at Uppsala University, Sweden, from 2000 to 2006. Since 2006, he has served as museum director of the Zorn Collections in Mora. He is an adjunct professor at Uppsala University. Cederlund has written various books about Swedish art and architecture, including Classical Swedish Architecture and Interiors, 1650--1840 (2007) and Zorn 

Tuesday's life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm. 20151117

I went to only one life drawing session last week. I would have preferred to have attended more but that's the way it is sometimes. I have one more week of work and then I'll have more time for my artistic persuits.

5 minute pose on A3

2 minute pose

5 minute pose on A3

5 minute pose on A3

Lunchtime watercolour

Waiting for Västan. 31 x23 cm Arches rough 300g

It took me two lunch breaks to paint this. I've been studying Chien Chung Wei, I feel very inspired learning from him, I bought his book and DVD. The problem now is that the hill just got much higher as I regard his work so highly. I of course want to be as good as Chein Chung Wei and Joseph Zbukvic, I put a lot of pressure on myself to improve. I need goals, trying to be as good as the masters is one and enjoying myself is the other.

Exhibition at work

There is an art club at work, they organised an exhibition of employee"s art and I'm there of course. My work is for sale and it will be interesting to see if anyone buys. The exhibition continues for two weeks. Personally, it is more important that my bosses see my art and understand why I have decided to work half time. Getting lots of nice comments from fellow employees so that's great.

Wednesday's life drawing

Venue: Mäster Olofsgården, Old town, Stockholm 20151111

I'm a few days late with publishing these sketches. I've been unwell but feeling better now. This life drawing session was difficult. The model was very uninspiring, she had no energy in her poses what so ever. I knew I had to get professional about it and try and find something positive. In the end I did find a way to do better sketches of her - I lied, I exaggerated the poses and added curves that didn't exist. It's cheating in some ways but I know the great artists do it all the time.

Ten minute pose

Two minute pose

Ten minute pose

Monday's life drawing

Venue: Mäster Olofsgården, Old town, Stockholm 20151109

I was not in the mood when I started this session, I have been doing too much life drawing maybe. Anyway, after 15 minutes I started getting back into it though. We had 3 minute poses which were a lot better than the usual 2 minutes, I was able to focus on the dimensions better, I was in less of a hurry. All drawings are on A3 sized paper, 2b, 6b pencils were used plus charcoal dust.

Ten minute pose

Three minute pose

Three minute pose

Three minute pose

Three minute pose

Three minute pose

Saturday's life drawing

Venue: Basis, Stockholm. 20151107

So much life drawing this week, I must admit I am really enjoying it. I looked at an old sketch book from 2009 and was shocked to see how bad I was back then. So all this life drawing isn't in vain. Sometimes it's good to look backwards, .... but only for a short moment - one doesn't want to get stuck there.

Five minute pose on A3 paper

Five minute pose on A3 paper

Ten minute pose on A3 paper

Swedish Dance Museum drawing session

Venue: The Swedish Dance Museum, Stockholm. 20151104

This was a first for me, I'd never been to the museum before. I've heard for years that they sometimes have life drawing there, with dancers who move to music and stay still for a moment's pause. When I was working full-time I never could make it as it starts too early - but now I can. I'm glad I went it was very exciting. I was surprised by how many were there to sketch, there were about fifty I'd say. I'll be going again this week that's for sure!

3-4 minute pose on A3 paper

4 minute pose on A3 paper

3-4 minute pose on A3 paper

Wednesday life drawing

Last week I went to life drawing a lot. Wednesday was extreme. I went to two sessions, one at 13.30 and the other at 17.30. Both sessions were two hours long. To be air the second life drawing wasn't really life drawing. I was at the Swedish Dance Museum sketching a dancer there.

Venue: Mäster Olofsgården, Old town, Stockholm 20151104

Two minute sketch, A3 paper

Two minute sketch, A3 paper

Two Minute sketch, A4 paper

Life drawing - Tuesday

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm. 20151103

I am doing a lot of life drawing this week, it's fun. I have two sessions from Wednesday to publish so come back soon, I'll have more to see.

Ten minute pose on A3 paper

Five minute pose on A3 paper

Five minute pose on A3 paper

Five minute pose on A3 paper

Back to smudging

Venue: Mäster Olofsgården, Old town, Stockholm 20151102

I have a friend visiting Stockholm at the moment. He goes to life drawing nearly everyday when he is in town. I'm going to more sessions because of this. It's fun, I meet new people I wouldn't otherwise meet.
I'm back to using charcoal dust and smudging with my fingers. It like this technique, it's fast and expressive. The only negative is that it's pretty messy but that's a small sacrifice for the sake of art!

Ten minute sketch

Ten  minute sketch

Ten  minute sketch

Five  minute sketch

Fifteen  minute sketch

Five  minute sketch

Five  minute sketch

Five  minute sketch

Two  minute sketch

LIfe drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm 20151027

I have got to find a better way to photograph my work during the winter months. I have stopped drawing on A4 paper for the moment which means I can't use my flat-bed scanner. It's a bit depressing - the reproduction quality I have right now.

Otherwise, the life drawing session was pretty good, it was another male model, I draw females mostly so I always feel out of practice when it comes to men.

Five minute A3 pose

Ten minute pose

Ten minute pose

Five minute pose

Five minute pose

Two minute poses

Action Bear!

The model's real name is Lars but everyone calls him, Action Bear! He's a body builder and an exhibitionist, he's full of life and loves posing in impossible positions which no normal model could ever hold. The problem with Lars is that he's a little over-ambitious and rarely holds the pose, this annoys some of my life drawing comrades but I just find it amusing. It's difficult drawing a body builder when you have limited time, so many bumps and curves to deal with! I turned him into a comic character, that's the way I dealt with capturing his body-form.

20 minute pose on A3 paper

10 minute pose on A3 paper

5 minute pose on A3 paper