Tuesday, February 8, 2011

MORE FIGURE EXERCISES



This exercise in the book was to place the figure within the picture plane by using a box around the figure.  One should study the negative shapes the figure makes within the box.  Eventually, you should be able to do this by just looking at the model and placing him or her within an imaginary box.


One thing I've always done is scribble my lines tentatively.  I would like to become more sure of those marks and make strong, single stroke lines for my figures.  Some day.



The next exercise was done after reading the book where the author (Bill Buchman) talks about using guides like the compass or the clock to show you how to make your angles. 

I placed the figure within a box, then darkened to show the negative shapes (not that interesting, really).  Then I looked at the clock face (below the sketch) and decided where the angles were (you can see the numbers and the lines strengthened there).

So...the figure's shoulder has the angle 2-8 (or you can just say 2 or just say 8) while the figure's left hip has the angle 12-6.  See where these are on the clock face?  Mr. Buchman says this gives you more angles and more delicacy  than using the compass verion (N-S, E-W).  You could even break down the clock face into 1/2 hour increments, if you choose.  I think this gives you an idea of what he's telling us here.  Will it help with figure drawing?  Not sure but I think I'll try it for a while, putting the clock on my board and using it for a while.

No painting today.  Just didn't get one done and feeling under par today so probably nothing happening here unless I start feeling better later today.  I'm using the cd-rom from the Virtual Pose 3 book - the Virtual Pose 2 cd-rom wouldn't allow me to print out the photo I wanted :(  I may buy the Virtual Post 4 book and cd-rom but I've read that there are only 2 male figures in the book.  Why don't they have as many male models?  If you want to focus in on muscles, I'd think you'd want a male model that showed some strength.  (Virtual Pose 3 only has 2 male models, too.)

6 comments:

irinapictures said...

You are locomotive, as I am. Every day something new, practice, sharing. Feeling down if the day wasted without learning.
Work takes a lot of my time now, so I will follow your progress as mine).
I am not sure I want to switch to leftside brain "clock style" in figure drawing, too much of analytics already in my non-art life.
Just note posemaniacs.com for figure drawing. Sure you know.

Jane said...

Mamma mia, interesting but sounds complicated. You did a great job though. You are absolutely right about male models, accentuating the play of muscles is not easy at all.

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Irina. Not much of a locomotive today, though - but we all have those down days. Thanks for reminding me of posemanics - aren't they the ones with the skinless models? I think there is another one online, too, I'll have to find it in amidst all my other saved stuff.

Jane, not really complicated - we all know where the numbers are on a clock so it wouldn't be hard to learn...maybe :) I do like to see defined muscles in the men that often don't show in the women. May have to find more male poses online.

Caroline Simmill said...

You are working well Rhonda keep it going and it will all fall into place. It is not easy work!

hw (hallie) farber said...

The clock is an interesting idea.

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Caroline. I need to remember to give myself time - but feel the pressure of age! ha ha

Hallie, try it and see - it may be easy to incorporate and it may not, depending on how you think about things. I tend to see the angle without thinking of the numbers associated. And maybe it's just another way to look and see and think about what you're doing?