The lessons taught in South Shore Arts’ Principles of Figure Drawing class have been around for thousands of years, according to art instructor Nikki Kutansky.
“For 5,000 years, figures dominated art,” Kutansky said. “I think any place that wants to call themselves an ‘art school’ is somewhere that they have the quintessential class in figure drawing. If you can draw a figure, you can draw anything.”
The longtime SSA employee first offered this class, which utilizes live, nude models, more than a decade ago.
“The main purpose of this type of art was to get conversant with the figure,” he said during a current session at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. “It was widely popular, since it’s not offered everywhere.”
Those first sessions were considered “studio arrangements,” he added. Students could come in for classes and pay individually, not committed to a specific length of time on a regular basis.
After a five-year hiatus, the classes were re-instituted by South Shore Arts this year. Currently, 10-week sessions are held at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, and those signing up pay for the entire course in advance.
Throughout the history of Western art, drawing the human figure from live models was considered the most effective way to develop the skill of draftsmanship.
This is based on the idea that it is best to draw from life, rather than copying two-dimensional images such as photographs, according to teachers that offer Principles of Figure Drawing.
Secondly, an artist has a connection to drawing another human being that cannot exist with any other subject.
“I’ve taken classes from Nikki before, and I’m excited to be here,” said Margaret Sabo of Schererville, as she set up her easel for a recent session. “I have experience in watercolors and oil painting, but I needed a good basic drawing course to improve my skills. You can only paint what you can draw.”
Artist Gail Battistoni of Mokena, Ill., is experienced in creating stained glass, but was intrigued by the figure drawing instruction.
“This (type of class) was something I’ve always wanted to take,” she said, as she placed her easel next to Sabo. “Now that I’m here, I love it, even though it’s very challenging.”
Pat Grod of Lansing, Ill., has taken a similar Principles of Figure Drawing class at Suburban College in Illinois. But she feels there’s always something new to learn and wanted to see what Kutansky had to offer, so signed up.
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“This is a casual, loose class,” she added. “But it’s also educational and very inspiring.”
Kutansky also has been teaching Beginning Drawing and Advanced Drawing at South Shore Arts for 20 years, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the organization.
For more information about South Shore Arts programs, call (219) 836-1839.
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.