Visual Representation - Part 5

Progress Challenge 5: Life Drawing

Life drawing is essential to developing your skills as a draftsperson. Essential. There’s more online content on getting started than fits into a window this size, but LINK 19 is a good primer. Once you have reviewed the tutorial, visit LINK 20 about the process, from the fine art blog at LINK 21.

Brief:

For this activity you are to produce, using your charcoals on A3 paper, a series of figure drawings:

• 5x 1-minute poses

• 5x 2-minute poses

• 3x 10-minute poses

• 2x 25-minute poses

You will need a live subject for this activity. The subject does not need to be nude, although be aware that clothing and drapery are a little harder for the novice to draw accurately. Your subject may wish to pose in their underwear for modesty’s sake.

Please remember:

• For the shorter poses, have the subject assume poses that provide some visual interest; rather than simply standing upright with hands by sides.

• Use props, such as a broom handle, so that they may have something to work with in this regard. These can also provide support for a pose featuring an outstretched arm, for example.

• For the longer poses, the model may wish to sit on a chair, or stool. Life modelling is a skill: it is very difficult for a novice to hold an unusual or standing pose for a prolonged length of time.

• For the 25-minute poses, have the model lie in a reclining position. Make sure they are comfortable before you begin. Arrange pillows for comfort’s sake – it is a good idea to make sure they support their head and neck. Even for experienced life models, just sitting still for 25 minutes in an awkward pose can be torture.

If getting a live model proves impossible, the use of photographic reference is acceptable.  Further exploration (optional): Do a couple of extra 25-minute poses, using dark and white tones on coloured paper. Complete the above challenge and then click LINK 22 to launch the progress challenge.