Life Drawing Information

Agostino after Anabale Carracci, Hercules & Cacus, pen and inkwash

In the drawing above Agostino has looked for general light and dark masses that give a greater sense of depth to the drawing. Note the treatment of the light areas. Agostino chooses to leave the lightness of the paper as a means to give the illusion of light. There is very little modeling or tonal work in these areas. Remember the general rule in drawing "Don't dirty the lights"

ROUNDING EGG STUDIES

1. Set up a direct strong light source either a lamp or window. Place an egg on a small table and starting from the rim light draw the egg starting with an outline, and shadow shape line. Use a 2B pencil.

2. Once you start shading use the handout I gave you to look for the terminator, reflected light, cast shadow, dark light, light light, and highlight etc. You can use toned paper with white pastel for the lights, just remember it is generally easier to work from dark to light, that means work the shadow side first. If you are using white paper it may take a little longer it’s your choice just remember don’t over work the light side, if in doubt leave it alone, don’t dirty the lights!

3. Once you’ve finished the rim light move to a position where there is roughly half light and half shadow and again on completion move to the full light side this is where you and the light source are both facing the egg. There is little shadow so you can use a harder pencil to get the sense of rounding the form.

• Some tips for rounding a form is to remember not to just shade in one direction; shading and hatching in multiple directions will create a mesh like structure. 
• Giving a slight curve or arc to your marks will create a series of arced parabolas in your drawing that increase the sense of form and solidity. 
• Try to sense and observe the roundness of a form and how it may either turn toward a light source or away from it. 
• Think shape all the time, remember shape just doesn’t start and stop at the contours edge. Shape is inherent in both the inside and outermost edge of the form. Think of the contour or edge as a horizon.

ANDERS ZORN

Self portrait, oil on canvas

etching

Etching

Etching

Etching

JOHN SINGER SARGENT

John Singer Sargent, charcoal on paper

John Singer Sargent, charcoal on paper

John Singer Sargent, Charcoal on paper








BLOCK- IN CLASS DEMONSTRATIONS

Portrait Block-in, Action and shadow shape demo

Portrait (stage two) Block-in, Action of Light & Structure demo

ACTION, GESTURE and the INNER CURVE

Rapid gestural sketch by Zarahn Southon

• Action : Describes the general movement or thrust and tilt of any given form. Action is influenced by weight, gravity, structure and balance. In the Human form there are forces inherent that play a vital role in the tranference of vital fluids throughout the body; information along nervous systems, blood and vital fluids coursing through veins and viscera etc. For this transference to occur there needs to be direction and movement along and through the Human Form. This general direction like form will be oriented in space diagonally. Other forces project from inside pushing outward toward the surface giving volume and amplitude to form. These forces and structures have a general tilt in space and are oriented neither horizontal nor vertical. Generally look for one main action or theme - this could be the relationship between the head and feet - remembering though that while most structures may conform to a general action none will be parallel to the general theme nor to one another either. nature is irregular in its organization of form. For example the arm raised bent at the elbow to drink from a cup may display a general upward action from the  shoulder to the wrist while from the shoulder to the elbow the action is downward, and yet each finger clasping the handle of the cup will display their very own unique sense of action. In order to capture these dynamic and varying movements you need to stay vigilant and alert. When drawing your line check it against the model if need be - which is more the case than not - correct and re-check again. Nothing should be parallel to one another nor horizontal nor vertical. 

   

                                   

Rapid Sketch by Zarahn Southon

• Gesture : "Gesture is always the physical desire to do something" (Ted Seth Jacobs, 2008). At work rest or play gesture is seemingly always present. When we lean on a table, sit at the computer or are running to catch a bus we are doing so with the body conforming to gestural intention . To point your finger signals travel from the brain through to the projected finger to create gesture.  It is free flowing; running like a river throughout the body. It is neither haphazard nor chaotic but rather highly organized and direct. While looking for gesture you will notice some forms that are bunched up while others are stretched. For example the arm maybe bent at the elbow therefore the inside of the elbow where the the bicep flexes is described as active, while on the opposite side the elbow and triceps are relaxed being passive. Both passive and active sides of form are ubiquitous to the human form. The passive side of form describes the side at rest while the active side is engaged. The main flow of Gesture like all structures on the body are curved in three dimensional space. 

• Inner Curve : The inner curve is curved toward or away from your line of sight. Think of the inner curve as a ribbon or thread. It has a degree of action that is neither horizontal nor vertical. Ted Seth Jacobs in his book Drawing with an Open Mind explains that students new to life drawing tend to draw a curve starting at one point and ending it directly opposite at either a vertical or horizontal position to one another. This approach creates a symmetrical circular shape like a lozenge that if physically present within the human form would impede the transferance of vital fluids needed for movement and vitality. This creates an unnatural wooden appearance to your drawing and is to be avoided at all costs. By carefully observing - from the model - the tilt from when end of your curve to the other you will  avoid this tendency. All of the muscles, sinew and nerves run along an imaginary thread. The forms are packed wedged together  along this imaginary thread like beads along a string. Again this idea of beads along a string is neither horizonal nor vertical. 

Rembrandt Van Rijn

Copy after Pierre Prud'hon

Ted Seth Jacob

George Bridgman