Form

For this exercise, I asked a few friends to pose for me. I wanted to capture relaxed poses, so I drew them whilst they were watching television. I moved around the figure and tried to figure out which angles would look interesting on the page, and wanted to draw positions and angles that would present a challenge. I looked carefully at the figure before me before I started to draw. I found that by doing this, I didn't have to use a "measuring unit" as much to enlarge the figure onto the page. When I was drawing the figures, I was more confident as to where each limb was going on the page, if I studied the composition beforehand. One of the key problems was deciding how large the head was to be so I could fit the whole body on the paper.

 

I was still feeling very unsure of myself when I started the first sketch, which is the one above. I think this is obvious because of the lack of range and the soft marks. Had I been confident, I would have leaned harder on the pencil I was using and given an emphasis of dimension. This sketch is very flat on the page. As a preliminary outline that doesn't require much time, this sketch is okay, but I'm looking to include a lot more detail and tone now. I want to be able to draw something and for people to look at it, and wonder if it's a photograph, because it's so lifelike. That is my ultimate goal.

These two sketches required more time and include a lot more detail. The pen drawing has a good likeness to the model, which is something that I really struggle with. However, his head is out of proportion to the rest of his body. The sketch below is more accurate in accordance to size, and I like the composition, with the feet in the foreground and the rest of the body following. I think this is one of the best out of the lot that indicates a sense of form, and it's clear that the model is relaxed and watched something, but it would have been better if there had been more range in tone. Trying to contrast skin tone depending on the model's skin colouring is difficult. Those with paler complexions are difficult to draw because they have a lighter range of tone. I have tried to draw people with darker skin, (including a self portrait) and they ended up looking like something out of a horror movie because they're skin was so dark!

This was a challenging figure to draw because of the twists in the torso and mid section. I should have included the whole figure though, with the whole of the leg length as well as the upper body. Using the different coloured pens helps to indicate the light source and how it is spread over the surface of the models body. Again, I have the problem of drawing the head relatively small and the body too large. I'll try to do more sketches whilst out and about until I get used to drawing figures so everything is in proportion.

This was a difficult position to sketch as my model was scrunched up, with her body folded in on herself. I think that she is in proportion, but there's not much of a likeness to the model at all. The figure is balanced and has a sense of form, but could probably do with a little more dimension.

My model unconsciously arranged herself beautifully for this pose. I'm pleased that I managed to fit the entire figure onto paper, it's something I've really been struggling with, and I think that the proportions are even. I think this is one of the best sketches I've done so far. It displays balance, tone and dimension. And yet it still looks odd, and I think I've figured out why. Because of the angle I was sitting at when drawing this pose, the legs were closer to me, and in trying to emphasise this, I went over the top!! I need to learn the difference in being confident in tonal range, and over exaggerating something until it compromises something.

Apart from the face, I like this sketch. The models forehead is not nearly as large as I have indicated here though. I hope when I showed her the drawing that she wasn't offended. I like the clothing drawn here, I think I captured the material well, and it accentuates her figure underneath. A bit more background wouldn't go amiss; she looks like she is currently leaned against thin air and is floating in mid air as well. The bare essentials will do in terms of background, but there must be something to support the central figure.

I enjoyed drawing this, because I felt that I was getting a better feel for the dimensions of the figure, and could begin to use the tone to identify the definitive shape. Unlike some of the other previous sketches, I tried to be a bit bolder and give a greater depth to the tone so you can can see the light source.

This sketch is a disaster. You can't see any of the detail that makes the figure a shape that comes off of the page. The type of pen I was using doesn't have any range, no matter which way I used it. I definitely prefer using soft pencils or charcoal; pens just don't give me the depth I need. Without the subtle tones, it's hard to make out where the limbs are and their relation to one another.

When doing these sketches I found it difficult to use pens, as it didn't give the depth and tonal range that I wanted to capture. I preferred using soft pencils or charcoal. I think I am going to have to sit for longer to concentrate on sketches, as it still doesn't have the tone and detail needed that makes a good piece of work.

This is the only quick sketch that I am extremely disappointed in, and the reason for that is that the figure is unbalanced.

I did some other quick sketches of people to familiarise with shape and proportions of the body using different materials. Like anything, it's a case of practise makes perfect. The more I draw, the easier it becomes and the more I understand on how the body works. For the quick sketches, I just drew people as they were, and didn't ask them to pose, as they were arranging themselves in different ways so as to complete the task they were doing, which worked out perfectly for me. I may have concentrated too much on some of the specifics, such as facial features, and hair, but you can still see general outline, tone and dimension, and I manged to complete these sketches in a relatively short space of time.

 I have found that I don't like using pens for such sketches, as they are too bold on the paper. They don't allow for many mistakes, and cannot be manipulated the way that soft pencils can. Its easy to apply darker tone, just by picking up a softer leaded pencil, but with pens, this is impossible to do. All you can add is dimension by using a different coloured pen; there's no range.