“Torso of an athlete” - 9 x 12 charcoal and white chalk on Canson paper

Purchase from the artist

Friday brought the opportunity to visit the other Getty Center again - the Villa in Malibu - where I enjoyed many hours of drawing from their fine collection of ancient marbles. This statue, a torso of an athlete, was displayed indoors but with excellent strong lighting that showed off the musculature and contrapposto pose to its best advantage.

Some people think that you have to apply months in advance to get tickets to the Getty. Not so. I used their website and ordered the free ticket only about two hours before showing up. You just need to check availability at the hour you plan to arrive. If you’re planning on being in the Los Angeles area it’s well worth the visit. Through the generosity of the Getty trust, you’ll have to opportunity to see some incredible works in a beautiful Mediterranean villa setting - all for the price of parking. If you like to draw they are happy to have you bring your materials and draw to your heart’s content. They could use a little more seating, though … sitting on the hard marble floor for hours is a test of one’s dedication, and I find it difficult to draw for 30-40 minutes standing up with my book braced on my arm.