Saturday, February 24, 2018

'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF, part 2 - pages 11 thu 20


I decided to make a 30 page book/PDF that is a sensibly organized, brief distillation of the most important and useful principles (with practical examples) I've learned from the Western art tradition.

I would like to have had this much info in such a small package when I was younger, that's for sure!

My plan was - principles, plus practical examples, equals something useful.

Free download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Here's the middle 10 pages:
Pages 1-10 click HERE
Pages 21-30 click HERE

It's filled with stuff which once I learned, made my figure drawing better. Free to download from storyboardsquad.com/links


Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF - free to download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Thursday, February 22, 2018

'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell' PDF, part 3 - pages 21 thru 30


I decided to make a 30 page book/PDF that is a sensibly organized, brief distillation of the most important and useful principles (with practical examples) I've learned from the Western art tradition.

I would like to have had this much info in such a small package when I was younger, that's for sure!

My plan was - principles, plus practical examples, equals something useful.

Free download at storyboardsquad.com/links

Here's the last 10 pages:
Pages 1-10 click HERE
Pages 11-20 click HERE

It's filled with stuff which once I learned, made my figure drawing better. Free to download from storyboardsquad.com/links

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Page from 'Constructive Figure Drawing in a Nutshell'

Friday, February 16, 2018

My quick pose figure drawing thought process...

It goes a bit like this making a 2 or 3 minute drawing from life:

Ooh, wow, great pose! Look at that arch and twist and the weight all over there and how great that shape is. Right, so that's the furthest big bit to the left, so if I put that there on my page, and make sure that's no bigger than half way across I should be OK fitting it all in. So there's my furthest point that way, that's where the foot goes. Legs going that way, long legs, couple of straight lines will do for now, hips going that way, ribs twisting this way, couple of straight perspective lines cover those directions, sternum, yup, a bit more space between hips and ribs than average, arms, head there, OK that's where everything's going to go, lets do those wonderful stretched bits. Oh, best do a quick double check, that's directly above that, that's right across from that, that overall area is square-ish, OK, that width matches that width, is that foreshortened part too long? Nope, all good, right, we are a GO for contours...
Look how far out that pelvic point sticks, nice, down the front of the thigh, around that, ooh, nice squish there, that comes in front of that, look how hard that is, I know that goes behind that but I can't see it in this light so I'll make sure I draw it anyway, back around, the weight's all on that side, now let's get that arch in there. Is that gap between those bits too big? Nope, weird negative shape there, but it's good, thank god! Oh, looks like she's lost some of her spring. Her ribs were facing a bit more that way and I couldn't see that part earlier. I won't draw what I see now, I'm sticking with what made me go 'wow'. I know that was facing more that way, now I've got this point in I can put those bits where I know they would be. Keep moving. I love how boldly that wedges into that and how softly that plane curves there. Sharp transition there, soft one there. That part is really straight. Ahh, look at that definition around there! How great is it to see that. That bone, that muscle, I wish I had 10 minutes on this one. What's next? OK, head: Put that there, connect those parts, they'll do for features, I bet I'm nearly out of time. Breasts. Let's get those breasts in. Falling over the ribs, middle third of the rib cage, glad I made the rib cage long enough for those pectorals and arm connections at the top.
BEEPBEEPBEEP NEXT POSE!
Shit, relaxed foot and calf not done, OK she's moved on. Shall I? Yeah, I'll just sling it in real quick here, I know how that goes, toes, that'll do. At least it's all drawn in now, dump that sheet of paper on the floor, OK what pose next? Oh WOW, look at that, OK, I'll have to turn my paper horizontal....etc etc

A couple of 3 minute figure drawings. Prismacolor pencil on paper.


Friday, December 15, 2017

John Watkiss figure drawing and anatomy demo sketches

When I took John's figure drawing classes he would, one person at a time, sit down and demonstrate concepts he was explaining, on each person's sheet of paper.
My friends and I would photocopy and share amongst ourselves our bits of scribbled wisdom.
I have now put them together in a YouTube video/slide show.
If improving figure drawing is your thing, I would suggest watching this at full screen and set the speed to .25 and use the space bar to pause and resume play a lot.
It's REALLY great stuff...

Sunday, December 10, 2017

60 quick pose figure drawings

Quick pose figure drawings (1-3 minutes per pose). If you can squeeze in some quick blocking, then a decent, lively contour, without missing head, hands or feet, you're on to a winner! All from live models during 20 minute sessions of either 1's, 2's or 3's (minute poses), followed by 10 minute breaks.
Gives the old gray matter a bit of a workout!

I'd suggest full screen on decent size monitor.