brown-mclean_drawing from life.pdf

8/10/2019 Brown-McLean_drawing from life.pdf

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26

Section One

The Fundamentals

As Oliveira explains,

T he image of

the

human figure is the vehic le

with which I

can

most

positively

relate. My concern fo r the f ig

ure is

primarily

a

formal

one,

growing out of

the problems

of

painting itself. 7

The Schematic Sketch

Whereas

gesture

or

action

sketches are

pri

marily an expression of

the

body s

energy

and

movement

and are often visual ly distin

guishable by

flamboyant

gestures and

fluid

line, the schematic sketch

plots

or

diagrams

the configuration

of

the pose and the body s

underlying

geometric

structure. The

lines

are

II

j

tCl.(u.f generally straight and tran.,::cribed

with

a

crisp and abrup ccato

action

that e otes

asequential chain

0 made calcuJa

r \ -

tions. eye ~ t e pos. ibrrs a n ~ e l -

pV ~ ~ s s of one

point

on boCly

to

another,_

the

information

is

quickly

and

simply

stated

a s

structural

l ine:a5illustrated ln

a sketctl bY

J\IIatisse (Figure

2 17

He;:e-the

lines-a-reprr

marily indicators of

posiflon

angles, ana

the

outer pe Jmeter:

of

iOf J . Starting ~ light,

tehtative indicators of shape, the

lines

become

bolder as the sketch progresses.

Although

still

executed rather quickly, the

schematic

sketch

is

often

punctuated

by stops for

making

visual

comparisons and a lign ing points of refer-

, ence, one to another.

n Although

drawings

are

viewed al l

at once,

they are constructed in sequential stages.

What

a schematic sketch

effectively does is

help di-

\

vi

the

complexity of drawing

the figure

into

simple

steps

where

different aspects

of

the

drawing

problem

can be

dealt with one

at a

I

t ime. F igures 2 8 and 2 19 illustrate

two

steps

in

this process. They allow

the

art ist to

index,

or

prioritize,

the

information, f irst plot-

ting the body s

two-dimensional

configura

t ion, then def in ing i ts interior structure and

volumetric

characteristics.

The schematic

process can

in

turn become the

foundation

for

a more detailed, finished

drawing where

contour lines are refined and

softened

and

value added

to

create a convincing rendering

of light and

volume.

~

I

,

2 7

Henri Matisse.

ude Study

Graphite pencIl.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Gift

of Mrs.

Florence Blumenthal (10.76.3) Succession

H. Matisse, PanS/Artists RIghts Society ARS),

New York. (

t U t I (,,, Lr-- .A.-.:

e . . ~ N V \ N U


3/7

l

\

\V

,

f

' I

hapter Two A Sketch to

Build

n

2 18

Plotting the body's

configuration.

2 19

Expanded schematic

sketch.

When drawing it is best

to

proceed

from

the general

to the

specific or, Matisse pu t

i t. 'Fit the

parts

together,

one

into the other,

and

build

your

figure

as a

carpenter

builds

a

house. 8 When bui ld ing a house

one

first

makes a plot

plan

a. l-d-lays out the founda-

tion. Then the floo joists,Ywalls, and rafters

are

framed

in.

Only after

this framework has

been constructed

and evaluated

as true

and

square

are the outer,

visible

surfaces

applied

and

finished

A schematic drawing

often

has the appear

ance

of

an architectural framework or scaffold

ing,

with

one

l ine buttressing

or tying into


4/7

8 SectIOfl

n

The Fundamentals

,

another, as seen in Lin X Jiang s drawing Fig

ure 2.20). Here, the drawing of the model s

right

leg suggests the early sketch of th e

two

dimensional configuration whereas

t he t or so

shows

how

the a rt is t has c arr ie d h is drawing

further

into a study of volumetric

relation

ships . As

well

as being

informative

Jiang s

line has a brisk and

lively

rhythmic

quality.

Notice,

t oo t he r emnant s of some

original

plotting lines, which established visual con-

nections from knee

to

knee, shoulder

to

knee,

and so f or th.

The schematic sketch provides a particu

lar ly useful approach

to

th e

study

of propor

tions

and

how those

proportions

appear when

t he f igur e is v ie we d i n perspective. The next

chapter expands on t he s chemat ic approac h

to

drawing the figure

an d

discusses more fully

its practical

application in establishing

a

solid

beginning fo r an accurate assessment

of

what

the artist sees.

The Compositional Sketch:

Figure Frame

Relationship

Equally important to

an art ist s

ability to

cap-

ture

the model s pose

is

th e

wa y in which

th e

drawing

itself

is composed. Th e figure is de

fi ne d i n

part by

the space in

which

it exists.

Some art is ts call this the figureground rela

tionship

referring

to

the figure s position

within and against

its bac kground. O ther

artists

prefer to

think of

this

relationship as

positivenegative form

or

yinyang Whatever

the

term.

there

is

a universal recognition that

the subject of

th e

drawing is def ined no t

only

by the space

it

occupies bu t also by i ts r ela-

tionship

to

th e

surrounding

space.

Therefore yo u need

to

i nt er pr et t he dy -

namics of the body s

form with

sensitivity

to

how the pose relates

to

th e

picture

plane in

which it

is

going

to

exist. As an

actor

on

a

stage r emains c onsc ious of t he p er im et er s

within

which

to

perform

so

the artist

must

b e aw are of the

boundaries

of th e drawing

surface.

2 2

Lin

X

Jiang. Untitled. Graphite.

24

x , 8 .

Counesy of the artist.

A figure can be completely contained

within

th e

space

of

th e

page,

affecting com

position p ri m ar il y b y

it s

position in

reference

to

th e borders. O r the fram e can encroach on

the

body

a nd e ve n crop parts of it so that th e

composition

is

determined

by

the interaction

of the

body

with

th e

f rame s phys ical edge.

W it h a ny s in gl e pose,

there

exists a

multitude

of compositional possibilities. an d

even

though the figure remains stationary the

artist

can literally r earr ange t he

surrounding

space

an d

change th e

way

we perceive th e

subject. For

example depending

on

ho w

th e

body is framed.

it may appear to

be distant

or

near.

It may seem pa rt of

a l arge r e nvi-

ronment

or

provide al l of the composition s

structural

elements . The

sketches that follow


5/7

IN THE

STUDIO

Gestural Line Sketches (Action Drawings)

os

1

minute

each

lor to 15 posesl

edi -

conte,

charcoal. or graphite on newsprint

one

drawing

per

side of sheet

In

this exercise, you are encouraged to draw large,

placing only one pose on each

Side

of the paper.

The larger the paper, the better. The goal

is

again

~ the dominant gestyral movement in the

pose. but this time to transcribe

it

with a-more

fluid, continuous, repetitive action.

As

your eye

scans and moves with the model s action. your

drawing hand should move with a corresponding

gesture, creating a line on your paper that follows

the movement of your eye. This drawing is

as

much about your gesture and movement

as

it

is

about those of your model. Imagine that you are

Blind Gesture Sketches

os

1

minute

each

to

5 IXlseS

edi - conte,

charcoal,

or graphite on newsprint lone

drawing

per

side of

sheetl

This is a good exerCise for developing eye-hand

coordination and for learning to loosen up and be

spontaneous. Its name derives from the fact that

you draw

without looking at the paper. Position

yourself so you can see the model without seeing

your drawing paper. Place your drawing tool on the

paper, then, without looking at or lifting your hand,

allow it to trace your eye movement as you scan

the pose, drawing over and through the form.

Work quickly and don t hesitate to redraw several

times as a continuous expression of the move

ment of your eyes. Expect the results to

e

dis

torted and humorous. The goal

is

not realism but

rather exploration of the connection between eye

and hand movement.

Chapler Two A Sketch to Build

On

35

to ded icate several sessions

or

even weeks

of

sessions at the

beginning of

a

drawing

course, and the f ir st f ift een or thirty minutes

of each

session thereafter,

to practicing quick

sketches.

This

is

the

warm-up,

the

artist s cal

isthenics, when you l imber your drawing

\ .

hand, sharpen your eye. and open your mind

to the

myriad

possibilities

inherent in draw

in g the

figure.

sketch is a

means of testing

a

hunch, gather

ing

information, taking visual notes to be

am

pli fied and

developed. The

sketch

provides

a

way to

f loat an idea. It

is the means by

which an artist can

muse

and ponder,

con

temp la te and make

new

discoveries. For al l

these reasons, many teachers feel the best

place to begin drawing from

life

is with

quick

sketching exercises. It is

therefore

common

The most common philosophy and procedure in

both academic life drawing courses and less for

mal, self-taughl drawing groups is that the natural

way

10

begin drawing from the model is with

qUIckly

e>.ecuted.

nonprecious sketches. A sketch,

by definition, is unpretentious, exploratory--even

disposable. Sketches deal

with

generalities rather

than delails, suggestions rather than affirmations.

These exercises encourage you to respond to your

natural drawing impulses and to let them provide

the impetus and foundation for the more detailed

study of l ife drawing that is to follow.

Dominant Action Sketches

os to S secoods each for

approximately

5

minutes

edi - bold

and

thick

conte,

charcoal,

or graphite

on

newsprint

In

this exercise, the model changes from one pose

quickly into the nex . Place four to six poses on the

same piece of paper.

Each

drawing may

be

6 to

S

high. Allow sketches

of

different poses to overlap

one another. The intent is to state quickly and effi

ciently what you feel is the essential element

of

the whole pose.

To

do this, use a bold line or lay a

short piece of conte, charcoal. or graphite flat on

the paper to make a broad value band through the

core of the body. Do not attempt to draw the con

tour or edges of the body. Instead, try to see the

movement through the center,

arcore,

of the

body.

Get a feeling for the tlioverrtent and gesture

of the pose, then record. In seconds, its key com

sltlOnal eTement After filling a page with these

rapi

changing

o y

configurations, you can ap

preciate the comparison of these exercises with

an aerobIC

warm-up. They offer

an

excellent inter

active begmnlng to any draWing

seSSion.


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36

SecllOl lOne The

Fundamentals

drawing over and through the body s action. Do not

attempt to outline the body. You w an t t o feel t he to

tali ty of the body s action and express it as directly

as

you can with the action of your line.

vO \o J This exercise can be expanded in a number

of

ways by incorporating m ov em en t i nt o t he pose.

q

Have the model take three related poses in suc

cession, holding each for only about thirty seconds

or a minute. Using line only, capture each pose as

overlapping gesture, allowing your line to move and

f lo w f ro m one pose i nt o the next.

Another alternative is to sketch t he pose f ro m

memory. In this situation, the model holds a pose

for about f ift een seconds. Do n ot draw w hi le th e

model is posing. Rather,

when

the model stops,

begin sketching the pose from memory. Develop

ing your visual memory

is as

important when draw

ing as a verbal or phonetic memory is for reading. It

also helps you develop the abili ty to focus in on the

key visual relationships within each pose.

Sketching Volume with Circumscribing

line

os

-

2minutes

edia

-

conte. charcoal, or graphite

on

newsprint

The goal

of

this exercise is to build a sense

of

vol

ume and mass through an accumulation of lines

that appear to be circumscribing wrapping around)

the body s form. Begin by quickly suggesting the

overall action and key components of the inner

pose,

as

wi th the gestural line sketch. Then de

scribe the full breadth and depth

of

the body

with

gestural lines that cross over and around the con-

tour of the body. Imagine that you are actually

drawing on the model and that your line is wrap

ping physically around the body like string. See Fig

ure 2.29 for an example.

Value Sketches: Gesture

and

Mass

ose

-

1minute

e h

to

10

posesl

edia

- conte,

charcoal, or

graphite on new5prinllmay

be

done

with

ink

or

watercolor

washesl

Use your drawing stiCk, approximately long, held

lengthwise against the paper to create a broad

value area. The idea is t o de pos it your p ig me nt in

wide, grainy areas. Draw the figure without using

line. At first. work lightly, trying to record the con

figuration of th e en ti re pose. Think of the grainy

texture of the drawing medium as representing the

dense molecular structure

of

the body in an atmo

spheric space. As your eyes rescan the pose, make

alterations

as

needed by expanding or darkening

the form to express its gesture and mass. If you

f ind yourself focusi ng on smaller aspects. rather

than on the whole, try squinting at t he model in

order to slightly blur the edges and details.

line and

Value Gesture Sketches

ose

5 minutes each 3 to 4

posesl

edia

-

conte, charcoal, or graphite

on

newsprint may also

be

done with ink

or

watercolor washes)

In

this exercise, use both line and value

as

comple

mentary element s. First, d o several drawings,

starting with value t o suggest the mass and ges

ture of the overall pose. Then dr aw back in to the

9

Cynthia Limber. Student drawing. Circumscribing line.


7/7

Chapter

Two A ketch to Build On

37

sketch wrth line.

AVOid

simply OUtlining your value

drawing; let your line draWing e a new response

to the model s gesture. After you have completed

several draWings, reverse the steps, starting

with

line and following

with

a value drawing over the line

drawing. Each element should complement and

amplify the statement made by the other.

Schematic Configuration ketches

ose

1

minute each 15 to 7 poses

Media - charcoal

or

graphite pencil 00

newsprint

The gool of this exerCise is to create a quick

schematic diagram of the body s configuration. The

three-dimensionality of

the figure is f lattened and

traced

as

large, simple two-dimensional shapes.

The goal IS to l ightly sketch

what

you see

as

the

plot plan for the figure on your paper. The process

and purpose are analogous to a surveyor s defining

the footprint or foundation for a house on a building

site. Begin by mapping the large primary shapes

and lines, then add secondary ones. For expedi

ency lines representing outer contours can be sim

plified. Light lines can also be used

to

indicate

horizontal, vertical, and diagonal alignments of one

part of the body to another. Some artists indicate the

position of landmarks on the body, such as joints,

with a small circle. Detailed areas, such

as

the

head, hands, and feet, are reduced

to

simple geo

metric notations. The primary goal is to indicate the

size

and location

of what

you observe. Forms are

first defined

in

terms of their basic geometry, with

the idea that they wi ll be rounded

of f

and details

will be added later. Refer

to

Figure

2.18

for

an

example.

Volumetric Schematic Sketch

ose 5 to

minutes

Media -

charcoal

Of graphite

00

newsprint

This

exerCise begins WIth a schematic configura

tion sketch, but the goal here is

to

literally expand

the two-dImenSional plot plan, to fil l it out,

to

give

volume and depth

to

the figure on the paper. This

is accomplished

by

using your lines

to

suggest the

body s three-dimensional structure. First, look for

forms that overlap, surface planes that turn, ridges

or recesses that appear. Cross-eontour elliptical lines

can

suggest the cylindrical nature of the body s form.

This

sketching process is analogous to that of the

stone carver, where the form is f irst blocked

or

Mrough

cut. Refer

to

Figure 2.19 for an example.

Compositional Sketches: Figure Frame

Relationship

ose

5

minutes

each to 8

skeu:hes

posel

Media - conte charcoal or graphite

00 newsprint

The purpose of this exercise is

to

help you see

more clearly the interrelationships

between

the

body s configuration and the picture plane

of

your

paper.

Draw

SIX

to

eight small rectangles (approxi-

...

matety 5 x 7 ) on a piece

of

large drawing

paper 2

>

varying the format

between

horizontal and vertical.

q /

Then, drawing from the model. create a

new

sketch

within each small rectangular picture plane. Attempt

to

see the pose as a compositional component in

relationship

to

the frame of your drawing paper and

the space around the figure. Draw quickly, consid-

ering how the dynamics of the composi tion may

change by placing the figure in a different part of

the picture plane

or

by changing the size of the fig-

ure in relationship

to

the frame.

Extended Gesture Sketch

ose 5 to

5

minutes

Media - conte

charcoal.

graphite or

ink

pen and

brush

on

newsprint

The extended gesture sketch begins with the same

concerns you dealt with in the previous exercises.

It requires that you respond quickly and intuitively

to transcribe your feelings about the body s gesture

and mass, and lhat you consider how the figure re

lates to the rectangular picture plane. In

fact

as you

begin your drawing, there should e little difference

from how you would begin a one- or two-minute ges

ture or schematic sketch. What distinguishes

an

ex

tended gesture drawing is

not

how it begins but,

rather,

how

it develops. Over the extended period

of

trme, your drawing should evolve into

an

ex

panded statement.

Independent StudV

o Take a sketchbook out

to

draw people as they

go

about their daily activity: working, playing ball,

shopping, walking.

Draw

quickly, fil ling each page

with many small drawings. Concentrate more on

sketching their activi ty than on their personal ap

pearance.

6

DraWing larger (one figure per pagel,

attempt to

record in your sketchbook the activity

of

people you have observed in seconds, before they

move; then use your

memory

to see what details

you can add about the individuals

whose

actions

you have recorded.

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