Despite approaching this chapter with some trepidation, I did of course really enjoy myself whilst doing it. Drawing the human form is all about understanding what lies beneath the surface, what the joints and bones are up, and very importantly the solidity of it all. I'm relieved though in this chapter we weren't asked to do a full length portrait!
Activity 1:Marking out the proportions
I started with the line proportions on the module notes to complete my first sketch, then did one free hand before moving onto looking at the joints and trying to articulate them into various body postures....with varying degrees of success.:
Working intuitively
Adding joints:
Playing with the figure
Activity 2: Making the articulated figure
Done as directed on the notes, an articulated figure with both articulated hands and feet, made with scrap fabriano rosapina paper 220gsm. Pictures: 1) prep sketch; 2) pattern; 3+4) the figure:
Activity 3: Drawing with the articulated form
I straight off thought of a series of movements for this figure, forming a long line of connected figures. The initial idea was of two fencers (think rapiers). The movement to the left was the fall of the defeated swordsman as he stumbles to the ground. To the right the victorious swordsman leaps into the air, does the splits, pirouettes, bows and leaves. I ended up with a very long piece of paper indeed, maybe two meters or so. For the final activity in this chapter, I printed these out in sections at a reduced scale.
Using the figure:
The two swordsmen - centre
Moving left - defeated man, please note, there is overlap in the pictures
And moving right:
Activity 4: Adding texture to the figures:
It seemed a shame to miss the opportunity to keep these figures together, so I decided to work on the strip, reducing the figures as necessary. It then occurred to me that folding the long strip into a zigzag book format would be an appropriate way of presenting this piece of work. However the two figures fighting remain at the centre of the zigzag.
1) reducing and transferring the image
2) The centre pages
Brusho powder first, then Neocolour 1, finally - graded shades of acrylic:
The champion
Neocolour 2, non watercolour colourng pencils and Arteza watercolour pens
The defeated man
Book pages, biro, sharpie, watercolour felt tips:
The whole thing opened out:
Adding the cover
I stiffened the reverse with spare book pages and covered the lot in gesso:
Dried, folded and ready for decoration
Adding front and back covers, working in acrylics and biro:
Front
Back
Length of book
Whole thing
