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| 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.
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| 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
