Online Class: Drawing Irises with Descriptive Cross-Contour Lines

Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s pencil studies of irises and their distinct cross-contour lines, this class will focus on drawing irises in a close-up view. 

Through interactive demos, instructor Sudeshna Sengupta will teach participants how to use cross-contour drawing to capture the illusion of depth, dimension, and volume. The lesson will also emphasize how muscle memory is gained from the practice of drawing thin and thick lines, which helps prepare for the successful execution of directional strokes and shading techniques. By embracing the meditative qualities of observational drawing, this class is designed to make the art of observational studies accessible and enjoyable.

Supplies needed for this class: 

• Mixed-media drawing pad in Strathmore 400 series or any other brand in any size between 9” x 12” and 11” x 14”. Larger pads will work well, also. Thicker paper (140 lb or higher) is better.
• A set of 2B, 4B, & 6B graphite pencils and an eraser
  • Optional: Conte Pierre Noire pencils or General’s Carbon Sketch pencils, or charcoal pencils in Medium (2B) and Soft/Dark (4B or 6B).
• 2 to 4 Blending stumps (AKA Tortillons, often come with drawing pencil sets) and or Q-tips
• Recommended: Masking tape or clips to keep the paper flat, especially if the pad is larger.
• Optional: Tombow or any other brand gray or black brush-pens, water-soluble Graphite pencil, color pencils or pastels if anyone wants to add a hint of color.

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This class is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. Children are welcome to participate alongside their adults.

This program will take place via the video conferencing app – ZOOM. Details for accessing the Zoom meeting will be with your receipt upon registering and again sent via email the day prior. Please register in advance in order to access the program.

Note that all program times are in Mountain Time.

About the Instructor:

Sudeshna Sengupta’s career as a teaching artist spans multiple decades, continents, and cultures that inform her pedagogy for decolonizing studio art. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1985 from Visva-Bharati University, founded by the first non-European Nobel Laureate (1913) and humanist poet Rabindranath Tagore.

After teaching art and design at the college level in New Delhi, Seattle, and California, she taught at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo, where she established its first intaglio printmaking studio in 1995. Besides the O’Keeffe Museum, Sengupta teaches credit courses with the School of Art & Design of the Santa Fe Community College.

Her etchings and lithographs from the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi have been featured in a landmark exhibition on Women Printmakers of India at the NGMA-New Delhi in India. Her work is in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Association Musée d’Art Contemporain, France; Kala Institute, Berkeley, and more.

Sengupta also conducts workshops, short courses, lectures, and community-based art events focusing on multicultural and intercultural experiences that emphasize human, cultural, and environmental connectedness through creativity.

To learn more, please visit notes-and-doodles.com and visit her Instagram @santafe_online_art_studio

Registration

This class is being offered on a sliding scale. Your class fee helps to sustain the variable costs associated with hosting this program. We appreciate your support.

$15 minimal fee.

$25 covers the cost of the class.

$40 covers the cost of the class, plus a contribution to support educational programs.