Part Three – Observing the human figure – Exercise “Linear figure study”

I approached this exercise in several ways. Firstly I reviewed my sketchbooks of drawings I have made at Ely Life Drawing over the past year. I looked for those which best met the criteria of the exercise, those with good lines. Additionally I tried to concentrate on linear studies during the session on 30th November 2017. The drawings I made that week are shown below.

I took three of these sketches and made simple linear studies in paint.

I also made a couple of linear paintings looking at drawings made from previous weeks.

Having completed these studies I decided to try to work three of these into one complete work exploring different poses. For this I worked on a dark wash keeping the shapes a simple as possible.

Having completed the painting I’m not as happy with the finished shapes as I was in the preliminary paintings and will revisit this study. I wonder whether I have simplified too much and moved towards caricature.

I revisited this study and tried to make it a little less simplified. For this I started with a brown ground and drew five figures using mechanical pencil. This resultant drawing is shown below. I have to state that I was inspired to make these studies after looking at the paintings and drawings on show at the Matisse selling exhibition. This was on display at the Babylon gallery where the Ely Life Drawing group session are held. I will write a short blog on this exhibition.

I then painted over the lines to try to bring the figures out. In some ways I feel that with the painting I lost some of the delicacy of the drawings. The painted lines are not as controlled as the pencil lines. This is mainly due to my lack of technique in handling paint confidently and delicately. I am tending to paint in smallish strokes whereas the drawn lines are more confident.  This is something that I need to practice.

 

 

Part Three – Project Observing the human figure – Exercise “Drawing the human figure”

I have been attending Ely Life drawing group for nearly a year now and during this time have completed two sketch pads of drawings. I will be starting sketch pad three this evening. I did initially find it daunting looking at the naked human form and trying to make sense of the shapes and to put these down in a comprehensible form on paper. Additionally drawing with a group of other artists was a new experience.  However I soon came to terms with these challenges and began to feel more comfortable. The usual routine is for the weeks model to pose for 1,2,3,4 & 5 minutes followed by two 20 minute poses and then after a coffee break for a further 40 to 50 minute pose depending on available time. The 1,2,3 & 4 minute poses can feel rushed and I find it is normally only possible to capture a suggestion of the pose. However this does help to concentrate the mind and to look closely and work quickly. Sometimes these quick drawing have a life and spontaneity that can be lacking in the longer studies. This is due partly to the model being able to adopt and hold a more dramatic pose which could not be sustained over a longer time period. Personally I find the 5 and 20 minute poses the most rewarding. I find I can get most of the information I need to make a satisfying sketch. I can find the 40 to 50 minute pose too long and find myself overworking some parts of the drawing. However there is nothing to stop me starting a new drawing from a different position in the room.

I expect I will use some of the sketches and drawings that I have made over the past year and also look to utilise the weekly sessions to inform me in completing the exercises in this part of the course. I will have to assess whether to take painting materials to the sessions.

For the exercise “Drawing the human figure” I looked back over the drawings that I have made this autumn. I then made some sketches of three drawings that I felt had interesting lines and form. The three sketches and their original drawings are shown below.

I also reviewed the four drawings below and considered whether they would also be worthwhile taking forward into a painting.

I will look to make some observational sketches and notes this evening to take forward to completing the next exercise “Linear figure study”.