"Life Drawing the Female Nude: One week of demonstrations and tutored classes in the Bugey region of south-east France"
2000-06-21 until 2000-06-30
Culture Arts et Langues, Galabia galerie d'art
Talissieu, , FR France

Though described as a course this is basically an opportunity for participants to sketch from the nude and to profit from associated demonstrations. During sketching sessions tutoring will be provided for those that want it, but the emphasis will be on each artist exploring and developing their own style, rather than learning any imposed 'system'. The Bugey lies mid-way between Geneva and Lyon. It is a region with a long history of the sensual, not least having been the home of Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of Physiologie du Gout ou meditations de gastronomie transcendante. An important wine producing area, a gastronomic region, ...

Course dates: August 27th to September 1st.
Arrive Sunday (27/8/00) 16H to 18H,
reception at 19H followed by dinner.
Daily Routine: Monday-Friday
depart Friday (1/9/00) 16H
(participants can arrange individually with the Chateau to stay until Saturday morning or longer)>

Participants are welcome to use whatever media they wish. Pencils and small sheets of rough paper will be provided but for larger works it is preferable to provide your own materials, media, etc. Poses will vary from a few minutes to normally no more than two hours, at the most, so whilst sculptors are most welcome it is unlikely that a finished work of the whole body could be achieved. (Previous experience is that sculptors have greatly appreciated the opportunity to prepare rough sketches, rather than working in three dimensional media.)

Each day consists of sessions totalling five hours. There will be a demonstration session (with subjects chosen from: topographic anatomy; movement, the effect of the underlying skeleton and musculature on superficial structure; the body as a whole; the face; hands and feet; gestures and expression; etc.) as well as the main sketching sessions (using sculptures, body casts, casts of facial elements, but principally live models).

Circumstances permitting some life classes will be held outdoors -the course has sole use of the chateau and grounds. Participants have access to the main working room at other times to continue work they have in progress. (The grounds and surrounding areas are also excellent inspiration for any artist.) Individual tutoring will be in English or French as appropriate, demonstrations will be in English though if demand exists will be repeated in French. Depending on participants' interests and other circumstances demonstrations of the basic elements of body painting and/or body casting (producing moulds for casting) could be arranged.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for France

Other Important Exhibitions in France