Hey everyone! Please post ALL questions related to Lesson 2: "Drawing a Statue", in this discussion so I don’t miss anything. If you're posting pics, try to make them square so the site doesn't crop them. Looking forward to hearing from you! -Kelly Foss

Wow! Just love the way you simplify tough stuff ;) Amazing how 'squinting shows the values, or lack thereof. Thanks for yet another awesome lesson!

Kelly, Your artwork, presentation and instruction are spot on helpful to me!! I love the simple of the materials used and the results that can be created; so exciting! Have a question regarding the use of Work Fixative, if you use it and any thoughts you have about this. I like the classical approach to drawing that you’re presenting- this is the most enjoyable and satisfying process I have done in the past week! Thank you!

Hi Kelly, This was a lot of fun! It was surprising to see the facial features emerge on their own while simply focusing on blocking out the shadow shapes. I would love a critique--thanks again, I'm loving these assignments! -James

Loved this lesson. I see mistakes with my attempt:; Neck too long, Hair outline top left should be higher. Likeness to exact - she would probably not like my depiction either :D. Please feel free to crit. Thanks!

Enjoyed lesson 2 and think I like my result. It looks better from a distance. I would welcome a critique. Thanks Kelly.

Hi Kelly Well this lesson was certainly different. It was interesting and fun, even though I had some struggles. I would like a critique, thanks. Lotus {Australia}

Worked on white paper again, had a hard time with nose and mouth. Used a little white pastel, but instead tried to clean up the highlighted areas well. Have fun doing these lessons Your critique would be appreciated. Thank you Dina

something when wrong so here my drawing

Hi Kelly I had another attempt at drawing the statue, as I could see the head shape in the first was not correct. I would like a critique on my second attempt please, if that is ok. Thanks Lotus (Australia)

I really enjoyed this challenge! I had a marble statue (the St. Augustine Lion) that I really love so I chose to draw that. Thanks for the “push” to try something new!

Kelly, Attached is my drawing of the statue. I would appreciate your critique. Thank you for the lesson. Tom

Hi Kelly, Still working on her, she's coming along. I have a question. I notice you use a tissue for fogging out and smudging, but no mention of blending stumps. Do you not use them? I have some I use when I need to smudge a very confined area. I like using the tissue, easy to reach for/replenish, but it is harder to be precise in smudging with that (unless you have a trick, which you may well!). Thanks, Lisa

And here she is...I decided to put her on the toned gray paper, same size as the hand exercise. I'd love a critique if you have time--I realize I'm only dropping her here right before Week 3 begins with a new assignment! Thanks! Lisa

Hi Kelly. I enjoyed this lesson. Thank you. Here is my drawing. I would love a critique, and if you have time, also one for my hand in lesson one. Thank you. Looking forward to lesson 3. Sue

Don’t know what happened. It came out blurry with a missing background when I posted it. Sorry.

Hey Tami, I'm so happy you've found my lessons useful so far! Regarding your question about the use of Work Fixative: White mediums (albeit chalk, pastel, charcoal) they have a tendency to drop, so for those drawings in particular I will use a Workable Fixative with a UV protection in it. It's also my practice to spray any drawing of mine before framing it, and sending it to a collector. I hope that answers your question! My best, -Kelly

This is a visual critique, requested by James. I'm so happy that you're taking on all the assignments! Here's the text from the image: I love that fun, cross-hatched background! I added some darkness around the head to make her standout. I tilted down the right eye, which was tilting up a bit. I smoothed some shadow texture, and dabbed a kneaded eraser over the left eye (since it’s on the side that’s receiving the most light, it itself is pretty light, Cool piece!

A visual critique, requested by Fantine Pantine. She has a pleasing, Modigliani style to her. Here's the text from the image: You’re right with your self-critique, so I went ahead and evened our our Madame’s head, and shortened her neck. I would like to see you play around with drawing in more darkness behind her. Over all, she’s a little wide, but I think you’ve achieved a nice feeling of high-society with her. If you can, also push the lights lighter. Good compressed values on her face. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Kelly! I have made the adjustments to her, and posted on IG ;)

Hi Kelly! I am loving the trois crayons technique. Here is a drawing I did of a stamped silver bracelet (a vintage piece from the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico. I think using toned paper and the three pencils worked well for creating the appearance of silver. Thanks for your great tutorials! Lisa R

@fantinepantine: I have just found you on IG. I hope you don't mind. :) It will be so interesting to see your future creations!

This lesson was so informative; thank you for sharing it with us, Kelly! I posted the full sized version of my piece in the gallery to ask for a critique. Please use that as a reference instead of this cropped version.

A visual critique requested by/for Jacqueline. Isn't the simplicity of of tan paper with black & white wonderful? I'm glad to see your piece, and how well you did. I how my critique makes sense, looking at it now, sounds a little cryptique. Here's the text from the image: I’m sorry the site cropped your art, but I can see most of it. Good outside-shapes! I thinned her nose & neck, and lowered her shoulders Brought up her lower lip line and beginning of chin-shadow Iine (giving her a more square jaw). I organized her values in order of: background darkest, bangs & nose shadow next, light graphite being lighter (filling in the rest of the shadow spaces), paper is the next lightest value (statue in the light), and white for highlights.

Thank you Kelly. Your critique was very helpful as I always have trouble with shadows, and either put in too much or two little. Love how you changed things. She doesn't look like she has a beard anymore :)

An interesting exercise - trying to work the shadows and reflected light was good practice in observation!

This is a visual critique requested by/for Lotus, all the way in Australia! :) Here's the text from the image: Beautiful attention to details, and delicacy in capturing them! The shape of her head in reality is pretty blocky, so I grew out both side of upper head. The eyes and bangs/fringe were getting too petite. I stretched them both down, and widened them. With the graphite, I added a smidge more shadow darkness, unifying them. The right line of her neck, I up righted the angle. You did really well in selecting the areas of lightness, the amount of light, and amount of clean paper! Well done!

Hey Lotus, Oops, I just saw your message with your 2nd attempt drawing! Looks like you had already self-corrected, as though your anticipated my critique. :) Great work! Thanks for sharing it. Keep on drawing! -Kelly Foss

Hi Kelly , thank you for your critique. It is always helpful, and appreciated very much.:) Thank you also for your encouragement .

This is a visual critique, requested by/for Dina. Great to see your work again! Thank you for posting it. Here's the text from the image: You worked on white paper, so you know the extra challenge was the need to add all of the medium and dark values yourself. We’re looking slightly up at our model (we can tell this by how we can see the downward facing plane under her chin. Subsequently, we can see the bottom plane of the nose. Establishing that large shadow shape shortened her nose. I enlarged her bangs (a lil’ up, & down), and her eyes a bit. I unified shadow spaces by adding a wash of more graphite.