A great way, as an artist or otherwise, to maintain rhythm and structure when working from home makes that difficult. For me it also resulted in my way of sketching becoming much more readable and clear in only a very short amount of time.
Hope this doesn’t get flagged because of the nekkids, haha!
For this piece I wanted to simplify the model’s form to lightly straighter edges in order to better comprehend the angles present in the pose; so i used box forms as the base for the rest of the drawing. While drawing the boxes, I attempted to keep in mind how the boxes would twist and curve to match the shape of the bones and figure of the model as a whole. After completing the base box forms, I moved onto the fabric and some details on the body; namely the hands, feet, and added shape to the torso to convey flesh. Afterwards I added shadow, making an effort to strike a balance between what shadows would be cast by actual rectangles, and the shadows I observed on the actual model.
I believe I should have spent more effort on ensuring the hands were properly shaped; I only used the most basic and loose box forms for them and as such lack the structure that I gave to the rest of the drawing.
2. Arm Anatomy Study, 25 minutes:
For this piece I wanted to examine the angles, form, and shadow on the forearm and hand of the model. I made an effort to observe how the angles were never entirely straight; even the bones of the forearm are curved and twisted to allow for movement, and the muscle and tendon of the model did reflect this.
I attempted to put special care into the veins, knuckles, and finger bones, and the shadows that they cast. I was the most apprehensive of how the the pinkie and ring fingers/knuckles would look, but I am satisfied with the results.
3. Relative Group and Hair Study, 10 minutes each:
In these drawings I focused on specific areas on the model; in the relative group study I examined primarily the head and left shoulder of the model. The harsh lighting on the neck I was able to replicate, but found that shading the shoulder, collarbone, and breast area proved to be more difficult, especially as the angle of the shoulder was not as accurate to the model’s pose as I would have liked.
For the hair study, I made sure to observe different sections of hair as to effectively break down the composition to make drawing them more manageable. I also made sure to avoid a generic hair texture and ensure the hair looked true to the model’s. A small study of the face was also done; I am pleased with how the profile was drawn - the brow, nose, lips, and chin are accurate, I feel - but I was unsure how to go about conveying the shape of the cheekbone area.
4. Portrait Study, 30 minutes
For this drawing I was mostly focused on the face area, paying special attention to how the planes of the face cast shadow, and the way the skin hung off the skull. I also made sure to observe the angles presented by the model’s profile; the protrusion of the brow, the curves and ridges of the nose, the set of the mouth, and the curves of the chin. I am pleased with the outcome of the face area, especially the shadow around the nose and mouth.
I had some time left, so I drew the model’s torso in a hurried fashion. Some more care could have been taken when shading the pecs and torso area, especially in terms of shadow value variation. However, as the face was the focus of the study, I am satisfied with the piece.
5. Gesture Studies, 1 minute each
For these studies, I took care to accentuate and remain aware of the line of action while maintaining the proper form of the model. I am satisfied with the outcome; I feel the gesture and fluidity of the pose is present while the shape and weight of the flesh is still conveyed. I see I need to ensure the feet are drawn long enough, and that the torso doesn’t become too squashed or stretched for the pose.
6. Sequential Studies, 1 minute each
In these drawings, I attempted to retain the fluidity of the poses while ensuring that foreshortening and perspective was maintained. I feel this was done to a satisfactory standard, and I am also pleased with how the angles and curves I’ve used helped convey the form of the model’s musculature.
Some improvements could be made in terms of ensuring the feet are an accurate length and width, and also in remaining conscious of scale in general - each sequential pose is a different size to the last.
7. Negative Space, 20 minutes
In this study, I focused on the areas from the bottom of the ribcage down - especially the curves present in the model’s legs. I observed how there were actually many more curves than simply “thigh, knee, calf, ankle” - And also made efforts to make sure the alignment of the feet remained correct. I was somewhat successful in doing so; some of the curvature in the inner knee seems confused, and the perspective of the left leg could have been portrayed slightly better, but overall I am happy with this study.
8. Fabric and Lighting Study, 25 minutes
For this study, the aim was to observe the shapes and shadows of the fabric the model was wearing. I had a little too much fun with the head area, but I am also happy with the fold of the fabric around the collar and open chest area.
When portraying shadows, I should not have been afraid to properly emphasize sharp, contrasted shadows, which would have also helped convey the shape and angles of the fabric itself. some more improvements could have been made when studying the raised arm of the model, especially the shape and arrangement of the fingers.
9. Dual Light Source Study, 25 minutes
In this drawing, I paid the most attention on the legs of the model, observing the angles and curves of the muscles and tendons. I am pleased with how I conveyed the valgus angle of the thigh, and also with the shading in general on the legs as a whole. The shading on the rest of the study is satisfactory, but more variation in the values of shadow on the buttocks up would have been an improvement.
10. Fabric and Lighting Study, 25 minutes
In this study, the focus was the angles and shapes made by the fabric of the clothing. The clothes consist of stiff, starchy materials and as such the shapes formed by them made some nice sharp angles to work with. I am most pleased with how I successfully managed to portray the angles and shadow formed by the shirt and pants, but I believe I could have taken more care with the folds on the leather jacket. Another thing to look for would have been the angles of the feet, and making sure the weight and balance of the pose is accurate.
