Sunday, October 3, 2010

Eighth Volley



Back in class again. The assignment was to first draw in a skeleton, and then block in the figure with geometric shapes. After that, lay in shadows with sepia ink and then draw in the recessions. The first one still shows all the steps taken, took twenty minutes to do (way too long). The second was eight minutes total. It became much looser, and the drawing has a life to it that the first lacks. The process was slightly different in that we had to start with the shadows.

Drawing with ink is a great way for you to develop confidence in making a mark. When you put it down, it is going to stay, and you have to live with what you've done. Painting with ink is similar, but you can be layered, and get softer effects. I like doing it. But I have a hard time accomplishing the same thing with charcoal.

Both are sepia ink and charcoal on Arches printmaking paper.

1 comment:

  1. I think the fact that there are so many tangent lines and internal lines in the top image is part of what makes it seem less lively. The bottom half of the figure reminds me of something Rodin.

    Obviously, the second image is quicker and fresher, but all of the lines are external and branching away and moving around instead of a knot. Even if they were both worked in the same way and rendered to the same degree, you'd probably feel the same way about the second one.

    Your grasp on proportions is leagues better than it used to be. You seem to be particularly aware of the hip and shoulder angles, which really give presence to the figure. It gives it weight and movement - or, at least the impression of potential movement. The spine is coiled and will uncoil soon, or the body is legitimately interacting with the world, even if it's still.

    Good work. After fleshing out line drawings has made its impression on you, I'd love to see you eventually use ink and work in blocks - blocks of negative and positive space being given equal value. Just from the perspective of a finished artwork, that approach is powerful; but in attempting to perfect anatomy, looking at the spaces created within and around body parts can be essential. It doesn't all have to be flesh hung from bones.

    And I think you'll definitely get there going along this path, with this type of instruction.

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