Week 9: Tune Up :: Today, we began class by doing blind contour drawings of our hands. Remember in lifedrawing, to base all of the marks you make on paper to what you see before you. Do not guess. Do not simply and do not rush. Do however, compare your lines to what you see in front of you and on your paper. Below is a summary of what you be graded on next week, as well as an image from Prudhon to inspire you.
As a reminder, your final exam grade will consist of two things. They are listed below along with the parameters and grading criteria:
1) Final Drawing (50 points total):
This is a drawing that is started in class, or you can use photoreference or you can copy a drawing from a Renaissance done on toned paper. Feel free to browse the life drawing model books upstairs in the library. For the most part, the assignment is basically open. Whatever you do, be sure it is refined and that it is your best work. Use the grading sheet I attached to your drawing as a run down for what to watch out for, but I will be watching the items below.
These parameters serve as a guide to help better your professional development.
You will be graded on the following (8 points max for each category):
• Proportion (do you have realistic proportions throughout).
• Form (do your forms look round and full).
• Value (do you have a wide variety of lights and darks, and did you put the terminator, and reflected light)
• Composition (does the drawing rest comfortably on the page, is it balanced?)
• Presentation (Is your work mounted on a board? Is the board of good quality (no crumpled edges)? Do you have a sized tracing paper and or cover sheet to protect your drawing?
• Clarity and Overall Execution (Is your drawing clear, are your values smooth and does it look professional)?
Do your best and have fun. You can totally do it!
2) Anatomy Exam (50 points total)
A multiple choice test of the parts of the human anatomy. No surgeon knowledge required here, you just need to know the common names of the major muscles and bones. Check the site for what you will be tested on. Be sure you review the terms on our site below in weeks 7 and 8:
EXTRA CREDIT will be awarded for drawings done at the BODIES exhibit next wednesday, or if you go on your own time.
Week 8: Anatomy II :: This week, we drew portraits of each other. We also covered a few theories on seeing shaping shape and interpreting them on to your paper. Go slow, capture proportion lines of the face and capture the path of the terminator on the face. We also reviewed the muscles on back of the body and the major bones. Please use the Diagram below to help you locate the muscles and bones that you will be tested on during the last day of class.
HOMEWORK:
Create a back muscle diagram and a skeletal diagram labeling the parts below. Please use reference for your drawing. Strive to make a good appealing drawing, applying the knowledge that muscles are round. NOTE: make your lines describe something. Perhaps its a contour, or cross contour in which case it might describe the direction of the muscle fiber, but do not just place arbitrary lines. Be thoughtful in the application of these lines.
We also went over requirements for the final project.
BONES of the FACE
• Orbital
• Occipital
• Zygomatic
NEXT WEEK: Please bring chopsticks along with your materials. Also think about bringing midtone Canson paper for final drawings.
Week 7: Anatomy This week, you learned a new technique in which you use a white medium to highlight the tops of the form. We also got a little taste of anatomy study. Please use the Diagram below to help you locate the muscles that you will be tested on during the last day of class.
HOMEWORK:
Create a front muscle diagram labeling these muscles. Please use reference for your drawing. Strive to make a good appealing drawing, applying the knowledge that muscles are round.
Week 6: Portraits This week, we saw a portrait demo from Daniel Greene, one of the best portait artists in the country. We also went over the proportions and alignment of the face. Portraits are the hardest things to draw but also the most rewarding. Its a good test of your skill. The portrait below is by Anthony Ryder. To learn more about how he paints visit his site here: http://www.tonyryder.com/ and be sure to check out is portrait drawing demo.
In the drawing below, I've also marked the basic alignment we studied in class today. Use both a vertical and horizontal plum line to establish accuracy and placement of lines. Homework is below..
HOMEWORK:
Create a life size self portrait of yourself looking into the mirror. You may use any medium. Remember no Hello Kitty sized drawings even though I like her, and no fish eyes. Apply your knowledge of how to draw eyes that I shared with you today. Good luck and have fun.
Week 5: Light on a subject. This week, we studied how light falls on a subject. Study the handout I gave you about the properties of light and shadow and work to memorize them. What you'll find, is that those attributes will help you render form and from now on, you will be aware of them. We will continue our study of value and learn how to draw portraits and people's faces.
TOPICS: Pickout technique demonstration with vine charcoal. The portrait in the image below if from an artist named Anthony Ryder, one of my favorite contemporary draftsman and portraitist. If you look at his site, you'll see many more examples, and you'll also see a portrait demonstration to preparre for our next class. Logon to his site by clicking the link below.
http://www.tonyryder.com/
Week 4: Contour & Cross Contour Drawing Contour drawing refers to the outline of the form. In some cases, its very important because its sets the tone for the type of drawing you will do on the insided, therefore it must be treated with the greatest sensitivity. The line must be descriptive and should have detail for the line to be interesting.
One thing to remember when you do this, is to remember to go slow. Everything you need to make a good drawing is in front of you, but if you don't slow down to see it, you will never draw what you see, so remember to draw slow.
HOMEWORK:
• Take the four photographs passed out during class, and make 2 contour drawings and 2 cross contour drawings. Follow the photograph as close as possible. You will be graded on accuracy and technique/execution. Have fun and refer to my examples below.
Week 3: Form Intro This week, I introduced you to the skill of seein form. Your greatest skill as an artist is to be able to depict three dimensional fomr on a two dimensional surface. We practice this in our class, but it takes time and practice, especially when dealing with something as complex as the human figure.
TOPICS:
• Gesture drawing: Proportion Review, Installing the hip, 3's, 2's and 1 minute poses.
• Finding the turn of the body and face.
• Drawing Circular forms
• Layin Overview
• Linework integrity. Strive for smooth lines for line economy.
Drawings above are from Glen Vilppu. Our course is based off of his drawing manual. He is my standard for lifedrawing and for animation studios around the world. Be sure to check his site out for more information. His site can be accessed by clicking here. Be sure to read your homework first before you explore. Please note the line quality and flow of his gestures.
HOMEWORK:
The Layin: Your homework assignment will help you practice seeing form as we have been doing in class.Take the master drawings and draw them twice.
1) Put a sheet of tracing paper over the drawing and trace it.
2) Copy the drawing freehand on a separate sheet of paper. These ten drawings will be due next week.
Week 2: Gesture Gestures convey the feeling of the pose. Watch proportion, flow, location of the feet and hands. Hopefully the tutorial below will help. The tutorial may move quickly, don't worry it'll loop and repeat. I apologize for not putting buttons in which you can control how fast it is read.
HOMEWORK: Trace the gesture drawings on the two sheets I handed out, and do 15 on your own, in a similar style. Try to fit 5 gesture drawings per page. Have a great week, and let me know if you have any questions.
Week 1: Welcome Today, we discussed the importance of Life Drawing in our various disciplines. Remember to keep a sketchbook wherever you go and start to develop the good habit of sketching often. At first, try drawing for only five minutes a day and before you know it, you will have a string of drawings to learn from.
Major points discussed today:
• Today we learned the process of drawing the figure. The process is this:
1) Gesture, 2) Form / Construction and 3) Anatomy.
• In creating gesture drawings, think speed and accuracy. Start with, 1) an egg for the head, the equator line for the eyes, 2) A small curved neck line, 3) C and S curves going down to the feet and 4) add the armiture.
• Remember to look for the "Squash & Stretch" in all of your figure drawings
• Position your board so that it is between you and your subject. This enables you to stand in clear view of both the model and your paper.
• From this position, you may also consider using "sighting" to gauge and capture the angle of both the shoulders of hip angle of your model.
• Capture the angle of the feet as well to accurately capture your figure in perspective in relation to your position.
Homework Draw 30 gesture drawings of people in a familiar surrounding using a black pen on two 8 1/2 " x 11" sheets of paper. Have fun, do it in a coffee shop, book store, someplace where you can sit and where there is plenty of traffic (people traffic, not car traffic).
Your grade for this assignment, will be dictated by these parameters: if you use a pen, if it is submitted on time, and how well you implement the gesture principles we learned in class. Great work everyone! I'm looking forward to a productive and fun quarter. Shoot me any questions if you have any.
