Friday, February 18, 2011

Faces on Friday: Figure Study



Sincerest apologies to my friends, who hopefully can't recognize themselves because the drawings don't look anything like them anyway. No - you really don't look like that. I promise.  



If you ever get the chance to go to a figure study session - DO IT! The people there don't care how good or bad you are. It is a fantastic way to get better. I'm finding quite some improvement in just a few sessions.

It begins with 30 second poses. They go by so fast I feel like I barely have time to get marks on the paper. Fantastic warm ups!

Next are the one minute poses. I've improved enough that I can get the form. I just can't get the whole thing on one piece of paper yet. I'm going to go get a really, really BIG sketch pad before the next time.





Five and ten minute poses give enough time to work harder on getting lines and proportions right.


After a break the 20 minute poses seem like a treasure. Unless things start going wrong - then it's an eternity. When that happened I simply chose a really hard feature like hands and feet and switched to working on just that.




This is my favorite. Roughed in with a pencil then lines laid in with a japanese brush pen. It occurred to me the other day that I could fill a waterbrush with india ink at half the price of the refill cartridges.

So which is your favorite? And - have you been drawing faces too? Put your links in the comments and I'd LOVE to come take a look!



6 comments:

Shirley said...

I really enjoyed seeing you figure drawing session - from the 30 min. to the 20 min. So few people post these on their blogs - I'm glad to have company.

Jeannie said...

I love the one with the model's back to you. They are all good and you are so brave! I can't even draw my cats when they are sleeping. LOL! Have a wonderful weekend, Lyric.

Lyric said...

ah yes Jeannie - but if you drew a picture of your cats once per day while they were sleeping - you WOULD be able to by the end of the year! You can do it!!!!

Fibreartist said...

Wonderful Lyric, I've seen the benefit of figure drawing classes!

Carol Sloan said...

I like the one with her back to you also - must be the nice shading on it that is catching our eye.
Great job! I might have to go and try that here in Greenville SC.

Jane LaFazio said...

you're doing so good!!!