NEW CLASS:
Due to high demand I am now offering an additional Figure Drawing Class this fall:
6 Saturdays 12pm-4pm
September 17, 24
October 1, 8, 15, 22
Sign up for Figure Drawing Fall 2011 here
This is a “quick” three-hour study I did last night in our Thursday evening model session. This will only be a 2-session pose, so I wanted to get as far as possible so next week I can focus on modeling form.
I took photos of the whole process of blocking in the figure:
I started just marking the top and bottom, and left and right, to get the whole positioned well on the page.
Then I took a mid-point measurement vertically. Since this particular pose is almost as wide as it is tall, I also took a horizontal mid-point measurement. For both marks, I make a visual note of where on the model the exact halfway points hit.
I found during the process that I had initially over-estimated the width of the pose. I had a choice: I could increase the height, or decrease the width to bring the figure into proportion. I decided, based on the placement on the page, to make the figure smaller not larger, and so I brought both sides in. I was sure to bring both side in equally, so the horizontal mid-point was not disturbed.
If I’d needed to bring one side in more than the other, I would have re-measured the midpoint.
Once the major proportions started working, I could move forward and start refining the contour.
Refining the contours requires keeping in mind the principles of oragnic form, so avoid superimposing symbolic and generalized shapes of the optical realisty. I am always looking for tapering spiral wedges of form. Nothing is parallel.
Finally I was ready to start some shading, at least blocking in the shadow side of the figure. Blocking in the true shadow - the form not hit by direct rays of light from the primary lightsource - is a good way to clarify light from shadow, and keep all future value decisions in context. Everything in the light will be high value, everything in shadow will be low value, and the two will not be confused.
This stage makes the figure look very graphical and flat, and next week I start modeling I will be “turning the form” by shading from shadow up to light, which will make the form round again.
NEW CLASS:
Due to high demand I am now offering an additional Figure Drawing Class this fall:
6 Saturdays 12pm-4pm
September 17, 24
October 1, 8, 15, 22