The TSOFA Mentoring Program offers a unique opportunity for aspiring artists to be Mentored in-person and/or online by a Master Practitioner. Resent history has shown us the importance of one-on-one in person learning which begins with attending weekly 3-hour studio sessions at The Society of Figurative Arts, and/or regularly scheduled in-person Workshops throughout the year. […]
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HEADS, FACES, & FEATURES: A 4-Day Mentler Methode Workshop The world’s great Masters all had one thing in common they combined what they saw with what they knew. They learned first from studying the Masters that came before them, secondly they observed the nature of things and acquired a useful knowledge base, thirdly they observed […]
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Function and Form – The Architecture and Mechanics of the Human Figure.
Few enter a life drawing class with any fundamental understanding of the underlying structure of the human form. There are those that believe that working purely from observation will reveal all they need to know about what lies under the surface. Unfortunately, this misconception is a prescription for failure. No master draughtsman ever relied on observation alone, one cannot draw well what they do not know.
The Mentler Method stresses what bones and muscles do instead of what they are. It removes the confusion by eliminating Anatomical Names and Anatomical drawings, and replacing them with practical names and grouping them by Mechanical Function; i.e., function creates form.
Join us at the Society of Figurative Arts in Carrollton, TX for the uninstructed life drawing sessions every Friday 10:30am – 1:30pm. Artists of all levels are welcome! Space is limited, so reserve your spot by signing up on our website.
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CHAP. XX.—Of drawing Academy Figures. “WHEN you draw from a naked model, always sketch in the whole of the figure, suiting all the members well to each other; and though you finish only that part which appears the best, have a regard to the rest, that, whenever you make use of such studies, all the […]
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How To Sharpen Your Way To Dull Insipid Drawings. We realize the many venues spend a great deal of time showing novice practitioners how to sharpen their pencils and crayons to beautiful long fragile needle points. Sharp pencils have their place, but it is not the first order of business in learning to draw. Unfortunately, […]
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In this 4-day workshop Michael Mentler will go over classical mediums and substrates used in Renaissance Bottegas’. Michael will also cover in-depth head construction using the proprietary CSI proportion system and the best Aspective views. Additionally, he’ll demonstrate the construction of the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Attendees will learn how to develop Sanguine Velatura’s; starting with dry media on linen panels and transforming drawings into paintings seamlessly. This workshop goes beyond drawing what one sees by revealing what to look for and sets forth the needed skill-sets to proceed on one’s path to mastery. Enroll today to attend this workshop on November 11-14, spaces are limited.
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When one looks at Albrecht Durer’s works, particularly his drawings and engravings, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Albrecht never met a detail he did not like. His works are some of the best lessons in using hatching to describe form if one takes the time to dissect and analyze them. The master engravers, in […]
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First, one needs to understand that drawing is more than a craft; it is an integral part of the plastic arts. They need to understand what constitutes art and what does not. They need a strong overview and a game plan in order at achieve Mastery. They need to understand the Five Levels of Intent and what each level entails.
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Proportion, Order, and Harmony are the core of the success and vitality of any art form. This is true of all the Fine Arts, i.e., painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry. All things out of proportion are devoid of harmony. Though the subject of proportion is often associated with the human form, it is much more than […]
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