Tues 24th July Uglow life drawing session

As a theme for one of our summer life drawing sessions, we thought we should embrace the heat and get completely naked for a change. This time we are inspired by a figurative British artist, Euan Uglow. Predominantly a painter of the human figure, Uglow always worked directly from life. His method was meticulous, involving a great deal of measuring and correction to create images that are not hyper real, but appear almost sculptural. The measuring process was laborious and time-consuming to the point that Uglow himself joked that he began painting one model when she was engaged, was still painting when she got married and did not finish painting until she was divorced! However, don’t worry! Art Model Collective will not bore you with academic set-ups lasting half a lifetime. You will get expressive dynamic nude poses of 10-30 mins, allowing you to focus on the measurement in Uglow’s style...or just to draw in your own favourite style as usual. His paintings have a simplicity that seems to grow in character thanks to the nature of the poses. This time expect a very low key, yet visually accurate set-up with a variety of poses that will remind you why Uglow is a painter particularly admired by painters and art students alike. £15 admission on the door. Bar, evocative soundtrack, like-minded group of creatives, at Underdog Gallery - a perfect location just a few minute walk from London Bridge station. We'll have free art materials courtesy of GreatArt sponsorship for spontaneously visiting artists, but as always, please bring your favourite tools. Chairs and drawing boards provided, some easels and table spaces available. All levels welcome. ------------------ In case you wish to take up the challenge of Euan Uglow's tribute, let’s look more into his method of working. "Uglow preferred that his canvas be a square, a golden rectangle, or a rectangle of exact root value. He then carried out careful measurements at every stage of painting, a method Coldstream had imparted to him and which is identified with the painters of the Euston Road School. Standing before the subject to be painted, Uglow registered measurements by means of a metal instrument of his own design (derived from a modified music stand); with one eye closed and with the arm of the instrument against his cheek, keeping the calibrations at a constant distance from the eye, the artist could take the measure of an object or interval to compare against other objects or intervals he saw before him. Such empirical measurements enable an artist to paint what the eye sees without the use of conventional perspective. The surfaces of Uglow's paintings carry many small horizontal and vertical markings, where he recorded these coordinates so that they could be verified against reality."