TSJ Workshop: Melissa Day 5

pencil on paper, 12 x 18 inches, detail
Day 5

See earlier stages of this drawing here

Next week is short because of the holiday, so I'll only have two more days on this pose. I think I am done with this drawing, so I may start a new one just of her head and maybe her right hand near her face. It would be fun to try the face larger and with more detail. Not often I get an angle like this to work from.

Ted's comments are that I am making things "too straight" (like the shadow on the thigh, or the top edge of the calf). Which makes sense, because I have been practicing a straight-line block-in all year!

But I can see that Ted is right - the body feels more real, specific, organic and yes, organized, when all the compound curves are articulated: muscles wrap around bone, the bone itself is thick and thin and twisted, irregular wedges notch into asymmetrical arches; nothing is constant or machined.

On the other hand, it's very hard to get accurate proportion without focusing a good amount of time and attention on a straight-line block-in at the beginning. I would say it's impossible. After this year's training, I can always tell if someone is NOT using a block-in.

My idea is melding the two approaches. Blocking-in with straight lines to get all the tilts and distances to be accurate. Then using Ted's way of seeing to express the myriad organic structures that make up the whole form.

Comments

[Linda Dulaney]

Sadie:
Congragulations!
You've done an amazing job drawing the hands and feet absolutly stunning. I would say that working on the envelope the block and and then the contour really helps with placement of the figure. Working on the tilts/tilts distances and rounding the form will make the drawing more organic but starting with the block in is most helpful.

Linda Dulaney-Founder
Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier
www.bacaa.org