Figure Drawing

It's been nearly five months since I last went figure drawing
but with my sister in town it was great to make an excuse to go, soak in the talent of other local artists (& of course feel very, very humbled) and use some very lovely watercolor paper (sigh!). Yet with all this practicing of the human form I started wondering... why on earth do I make such an effort to go to figure drawing sessions and yet very rarely set up a still life to keep tabs on my perspective skills? I know there are so many challenges in perspective when drawing the human form but architecture and objects hold a different challenge (and can hold still for soooo much longer). You have more time to play with color & lighting and let's face it: still life "models" are practically free (just grab some things from your fridge, draw them then eat. Repeat!).

I have but a couple of days left with smaller projects before I start what I'm now calling a daunting November. I've just signed a contract to help the Royal Alberta Museum out for a month (part time graphic design work for their upcoming anniversary), will be teaching at college and have two large art/craft fairs to work. I've calculated and I've got five days off that month (which really means I have evenings and five weekend days to do my freelance work). This is a blessing as our family needs all the income we can get while my husband is in school but as for setting up still life paintings and going to life drawing sessions... it may be put on hold again!