BM Drawing from the Collections: Power and Presence

 2nd session Drawing from the Collections  at  British Museum  was on Power and Presence,  trying to capture those qualities in this housepost from Papua New Guinea using  charcoal. Reminded me of the barkcloth spirit masks but then they're from the same part of the Pacific
After markmaking  we filled a sheet with side of charcoal stick then 'carved' into it with rubber and added the major forms.

 

 We then  built up the texture of the wood, adding and taking away ( above).  I should have left it at this point! I liked the liveliness of it, by the time  I'd worked into too much and added  white chalk and  marker pen it was ruined  ( though I like quieter  marks remaining on the arm and body below).

  I made a second attempt  below  but it doesn't have the vitality of the first's early stages

 Next week (  bus replacement services permitting) we will be in the African gallery looking at the pots . I know I work faster than many   so I must remind myself  not to keep drawing just  to fill in the time while waiting for the next step but stop  before ( or maybe start another drawing)