Proportions

[Mic]

I've started going to a tutored life drawing class on Monday nights with an established artist who works extensively from the figure. She is scary and I get told off a lot. I am definitely the dunce in the class. She is keen on measuring to get proportions right (but says I mustn't focus so much on it that I forget my 'line'). Here are some early results, all 5 minute poses (oh, and I'm not allowed to use charcoal, she insists on pencil).

Women.jpg (26.78 KiB) Viewed 1313 times

Man.jpg (27.31 KiB) Viewed 1313 times

[Suzanne]

Lovely. It is great that you share these with us. Very enjoyable to watch your progress and I love hearing what you have to say about it. Very envious, I am!

I like the third drawing of the woman the best. The overall proportion appeals to me, very nice lines on the torso. And pleasant movement conveyed with her hair.

If the tutor is hollering at you, it is because she can see you have talent. She would be less apt to speak up if she thought her comments were in vain. Well done getting yelled at. Be brave.

Looking forward to more. Suzanne

[Mic]

Thanks Suzanne. Always nice to hear what people like and why. As well as what they don't like, and why, of course.
I've got an experimental life drawing day on Saturday. Apart from a bit of residual embarrassment left over from last week, I'm really looking forward to it. (The tutor, Katie Sollohub, said to me before our first class that she was sure she recognised me. I kind of sort of vaguely recognised her. At the end of the day she asked me if I used to drink in the Battle of Trafalgar pub. I did, I said, about ten years ago. Yes, she said, I was a barmaid there then. You won't really remember me, she said - you were mostly quite drunk.)

Mic

[Suzanne]

That is a great story! We live so many different daily lives within our lifetimes. When people cross our paths from the past it's both comforting and shocking that one phase has become another.

And...

In the spirit of a helpful crit, I'd suggest, after viewing several of your drawings, that you change your attitude towards feet. Rethink how you are seeing them and try something different with the aim of adding a new dimension. A foot study.


One of these days your drawings will send me to purchase a nice set of pencils and post something. I'm not nearly as capable as you, Dante and Delph but maybe I'll get brave.

Ooo, Monday you have another class..., keep them coming.

Suzanne

[delph_ambi]

The central female figure is the one that works best for me.

They all have short legs and long bodies. This is correct if you're standing up to draw them. If you're sitting down, with a lower eye level, then they're distorted. If you look at magazines with paparazzi shots of 'celebrities' they always look as if their legs are too short; whereas if you look at proper studio shots their legs look long - nothing to do with photo-shopping, it's simply the photographer holding the camera lower down - probably about waist level. Worth bearing in mind when you draw people.

[Danté]

Mic, I like the posture that you have captured in the drawings and I find something which appeals in each. Definitely a huge stop in the right direction in respect of symmetry with no massively disproportionate limbs to hamper the overall impression. I agree with Delph_ambi, the lower legs seem especially short which magnifies the long torso you have in each of the female studies. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

all the best

Danté