Class 6. Structure Review and Gesture Drawings

Student Homework #6

These exercises help to get the accurate STRUCTURE + ACTION at least some of the time.  Mistakes are only important when a student often shows the same misperception about the same part of the body structure. (Point this out NOW before it becomes a continuing pattern.) Otherwise, stress that YOU WILL NEVER GET IT RIGHT UNTIL YOU GET IT WRONG. But that refers to the active search for the shape or line that you want, not repeated misperceptions. Ignore the bad drawings that are a necessary part of the process (we all make lots of those), and focus on the ones that succeed; THOSE DO NOT HAPPEN THROUGH ACCIDENT OR LUCK!!!

Four one-side-used newsprint and vine charcoal needed. GESTURE DRAWING. To put life and feeling into the figures, to loosen up the lines to show action (“at rest” is an action) and so they become more expressive. (Excellent examples and description in “The Natural Way to Draw” by Nickolaides.) Show reproductions of Rembrandt, Gericault and any others whose work shows rapid, gestural marks. The axis lines used in their SEARCH FOR FORM often are visible and are a good lesson: this process is not for beginners only, nor are quick gesture drawings. (First: it helps for you to draw with green or blue chalk on the model’s back. Make 3 lines: on all the spine, across the tops of the pelvic bone and across the shoulders. See 3-line examples illustrated on homework sheet #2).

STUDENTS: With very fast poses of about 6-10 seconds each: DRAW 3 LINES ONLY THAT REPRESENT THE SPINE OR CENTER OF THE TORSO + SINGLE LINES FOR THE SHOULDER AND PELVIS HORIZONTAL AXES that cross the spine. These will look like little bent I-beams. Do this on one page until everyone gets it. Then, poses start at 10 seconds (yes). Make those same 3 lines first. Then, with charcoal, quickly indicate the main movement of the entire figure. Action in space, no detail. DRAW WHAT THE MODEL IS DOING, not especially what he/she looks like. Many small drawings to a page works best, avoiding interruption to change to another paper. The vine lines can be rubbed off with the hand as work fills the page. Next, instead of I-beams, start with ONE CHARCOAL SWEEP to capture the main action of the whole body in each pose and then build around it. Gradually increase poses to 20 seconds, then to 5, 10, 15 minutes. Each longer pose must be started the same way, based on an initial rapid, gestural mark, gradually building mass and form that maintains the action of the gesture.

HOMEWORK: (#6) Take 2 days. Draw as many ”SKELETONS IN INVENTED ACTION” as possible.  Small, no detail needed. Try extreme positions. Invent as you go along, always starting with a line for the spine (putting it in all kind of positions, the more extreme the better); all else builds off the torso. Add skull, rib cage and pelvis, then arms, legs feet and hands. If you know how body parts are attached to each other, and how they can and cannot move, it’s easy. Refer to the packet attached to the homework sheet: skeleton diagrams and examples from master sketches.

Another valuable exercise:  draw the skeleton again and again on photographs of athletes in action from any sports pages.